


Consuela's Evil Revenge

by schillingklaus



Category: Big Time Rush, Drake & Josh, Ned's Declassified School Survival Guide, Unfabulous (TV), Victorious, Zoey 101, iCarly
Genre: Alternate Universe-Canon Divergence, Archaic Language, Classical Music, Crossover, Crossover Pairings, Cults, Curses, Digressions, Foreign Language, Gothic, Multiple Crossovers, Multiple Pairings, Mystery, Occult, Religion, Religious Content, Religious Imagery & Symbolism
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-02-26
Updated: 2014-02-26
Packaged: 2018-01-13 20:23:46
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 58,013
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1239604
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/schillingklaus/pseuds/schillingklaus
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Nevel Papperman follows his half-sister Quinn Pensky to PCA, where he discovers an ancient curse that threatens the students. Will he be able to lift it in time?</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. First Year

#  Chapter 1  First Year

##  1:1  Pilot

###  1:1:1  New Pupils

1:1

Sun came up from the coastal hill braes. Having just conquered the darkness over Malibu beach, it sent its first rays across the campus of the **Pacific Coast Academy** , a renowned boarding school off the gates of the metropolitan area of Los Angeles. It illuminated the begin of a new academic year. 

The pupils, returning from their summer break, flocked back onto the campus in droves. It was not an ordinary new academic year. Girls had been admitted to the Pacific Coast Academy for the first time in the school’s glorious history. 

One of these girls of the first hour was **Quinndelyn Pensky** from **Seattle** , the cultural centre of the state of Washington. She was a science geek girl in her last year of middle school. She was not alone. 

Her half-brother **Nevel Papperman**1:2 was coming along with her. 

This arrangement had been critical until the very last minute. The money for Nevel’s tuition fees needed to be smuggled past Quinn’s mother. Fortunately, the dumb wench1:3 did not realise anything. She was not allowed to know about the existence of her husband’s illegitimate children. Otherwise she would have stripped him of his house, his car, his yacht, his video game console, short, of everything valuable to him. 

Nevel could not stay at his old school in the suburbs of Seattle. He had always been in conflict with his fellow pupils and teachers because of knowing everything better than those brainless idiots. 

Now they were crossing the campus, looking for their dormitory blocks. 

Quinn compared the Pacific Coast Academy with a spa. 

But Nevel could not trust the peace. “ _There_ _’_ _s something rotten in the state of Denmark_.”1:4

Quinn twitched, remarking, “there are no scientific proofs for this.” 

Nevel glared aghast at Quinn. “I don’t need a proof. Something smells foul. The fish is rotting from the head down. ” 

Both of them had inherited partially very fine senses from their weird grandpa. Alas, their common sense was not sufficiently developed. They happened to pass **Sushi Rox** ,1:5 a Japanese bar on the campus of Pacific Coast Academy. 

Quinn shook her head. She accompanied Nevel to the entrance of his dormitory block. Thereupon she moved on to her own new residence at Butler Hall. 

The ways of the half siblings separated for a few minutes. 

###  1:1:2  Basketball

1:6

Nevel met Quinn again for dinner. 

Quinn remarked, “I’m going to try out for the basketball team.” 

Nevel looked flabbergasted. “You want to play basketball? You may at most get a baskteball to explode with your experiments.” 

Quinn sighed deeply. “I know.” She had achieved precisely that just a few months ago. Now she panted violently. “I know too well. But **Zoey Brooks** , a girl from my dormitory block, plays very well. Yet the boys don’t want to believe her. They think girls not able to play any decent sports. Thus she is organising a team of girls and makes it face the boys’ team. I can’t let her down.” 

Nevel shrugged apathetically. He deemed the whole sports business as an abominable remake of ancient and blasphemic gladiator arenas. And he had already heard a few things about **Logan Reese** , playboy and single heir of Hollywood csar **Malcolm Reese**.1:7 He deemed him most thoroughly decadent and corrupted. 1800 years ago, patrist **Tertullian** had written in a derogatory manner about that aspect of social life in his work _De Spectaculis_. Nevel realised the accuracy of Tertullian’s critics even for contemporary American entertainment, especially sports. “May that perverted playboy keep his fingers off you! Or else he will be so sorry.” 

Quinn sighed carefully. 

By chance, aforementioned Zoey Brooks was the elder sister of Nevel’s room-mate Dustin. 

Inspite of deprecating organised athletic competitions, Nevel was ready to watch Quinn during her match against the boys. 

###  1:1:3  The Match

1:8

**Coach Ferguson** had opened the match. 

Only one of the girls was really able to play the game. And this was exactly Zoey Brooks. 

Nevel watched from the bleachers, side by side with his room pal **Dustin Brooks**. 

The latter was afraid of cheering for his sister. “The other boys will call us traitors.” He shivered. 

Nevel remarked, “they will rue the day of doing so. Until dystopia will they rue it.” 

Dustin woindered, “dystopia?” 

Nevel explained, “the brute end of this world of sins and corruption.” 

Dustin was somewhat scared. 

As expected, the boys appeared to run over and obliterate the girls’ team. 

Quinn behaved like an idiot during the match. 

Only Zoey tried hard to avoid an embarrassing disaster. 

Nevel closed his eyes for despair. He could not watch his half-sister getting embarrassed to no end. 

Dustin was very sad. 

Nevel sighed. “At least your sister fights to the death. Quinn is just embarrassing.” 

Dustin shrugged. 

Other inept girls included Zoey’s room-mate **Nicole Bristow**. 

That was a recklessly annoying bimbo wench from Kansas. 

Things went worse a few minutes later. 

Logan Reese pushed Zoey rudely to the ground. 

Dustin yelled, “foul!” 

But the referee refused to punish Logan. 

Nevel stood up. “You should not have done that, Logan Reese! Now you will rue the day. You rue it! Until dystopia will you rue it.” 

Dustin did not exactly understand that. But he nodded rigorously. 

The referee already wanted to make Zoey leave the match and go to the nurses’ station, stripping the girls’ team of the only real athlete. 

But Dustin’s sister held on. 

**Dana Cruz** , Latina tomboy and room-mate of Zoey Brooks, joined the girls’ team. She was really good and almost turned the blade around. 

But in the end, the boys won by one point only. 

During the last minute, Nevel and Dustin cheered vigorously for the girls’ team. 

Coach Ferguson finally deemed Dana and Zoey worthy of joining the school’s team. He even had to make Logan second choice, the jerk’s angry objections notwithstanding. 

Zoey accepted gladly. 

Dana, on the other hand, walked away without giving a definite answer. She would have preferred to do cheerleading instead. 

Nevel and Dustin sighed deeply before going away. 

###  1:1:4  Nevel Goes Crazy

Nevel and Dustin were finally back to their dorm. They grinned. 

It was Nevel’s turn for the laundry. 

Dustin was still glad about Zoey’s performance. He stuffed his old clothes into the laundry sack. “Zoey has rocked the match.” 

Nevel remarked, “yeah, your sister is the perfect girl.” He started swooning. 

Dustin wondered, “what do you want to say?” 

Alas, Nevel was too embarrassed to speak. He fainted even more. 

Dustin grabbed his roomie. “What do you mean? Zoey is what?” 

Nevel stammered, “she is so ...” He almost passed out from swooning. 

Dustin choked and gasped. “She isn’t really into elementary school boys ... I don’t think so.” 

Nevel was still just on the brink. 

Dustin was really worried about this. 

Where was this going to lead to? 

###  1:1:5  Dustin Needs Money

1:9

The next day, Nevel asked Dustin for a picture of Zoey. 

Dustin nodded. “Sure!” He had got pictures of mom, dad, and Zoey in his wallet. 

Nevel took that of Zoey. “Thanks!” He started rubbing the photograph of the Mary Sue all over his face and started swooning. 

Dustin gasped. “Nevel? What are you doing?” 

The freak blushed. 

Dustin wanted his picture back. 

Nevel moaned for disappointment. 

Dustin whispered, “OK, don’t tell it around, but ...” 

Nevel wanted to know more. 

Dustin coughed softly. “Zoey’s naked baby butt is seen in ads for some sun blocker.”1:10

Nevel’s eyes bugged out. He wanted to check this out and buy that sun blocker, just for the picture of Zoey’s hindside. 

Dustin grinned. “OK, now you need to help me with something.” 

Nevel glared at his mate. 

Dustin moaned, “I’m out of bucks. It was an emergency case.” 

“What case?” wondered Nevel. 

Dustin sighed deeply. “A bucket of gummi worms.” He fainted. “And Zoey doesn’t want to lend me any. She tells me to earn my own bucks for extra candy.” 

Nevel scartched his head. He needed to save his bucks for aforementioned sun blocker, but ... “Quinn sometimes needs test rabbits for her scientific experiments. She has got very interesting theories to verify. She pays well.” 

Dustin shrugged. “OK, I will check this out. Thanks for the advice!” 

Nevel smiled. 

###  1:1:6  Swap Crush

1:11

The day was over. 

The sun was about drowning in the waves of the mighty Pacific. 

Nevel was already back to his dormitory room. He had not yet found aforementioned sun blocker. But he had got some hint to follow during the upcoming weekend. 

Finally, Dustin returned. He had gothis first job as a test rabbit for Quinn Pensky. He appeared a bit strange. 

Nevel asked, “How was it going? Oh no, what has my half-sister done to you?” 

Dustin swooned. 

Nevel coughed. “That bad?” 

Stammering Dustin explained, “she measured my brain’s activity with electrode. And she was talking about measuring the emotions of food.” 

Nevel nodded. “That was to be expected.” 

But this could not explain Dustin’s swoon. 

Nevel wondered, “what has she done to you?” 

Dustin stammered, “her cute nerdy brains, and she’s so smart, and ... oh my gosh!” He would not have admitted to those feelings without knowing about Nevel’s concerning Zoey. 

Nevel and Dustin glared at each other. “Wow!” 

Was this double crush going to do any good unto anyone? 

Time was going to tell. 

##  1:2  Sound of Music

1:12

###  1:2:1  Signing up

Today was the deadline for signing up for the school’s clubs. 

Quinn Pensky knew very well: “Science Club! Cool!” She grinned with glee. 

Nevel moaned, “Don’t you want to come with me to the school orchestra?” He played the recorder and the piano.1:13

Quinn knew to blow the trombone.1:14 But her real passion were science and technology. 

Thus her first preference was clear. 

Nevel signed up with both of his instruments. “Trial is in two days.” 

Quinn looked at the list of those already signed up. “Melanie Puckett!”1:15

Nevel wondered, “Melanie? Who?” 

Quinn explained, “a girl from downtown Seattle ... **Ridgeway** ,1:16 or so.” 

Nevel shrugged. 

Quinn continued, “we learned to play the trombone together, and her twin sister **Samantha Puckett.** **”** **1:17**

Nevel did not care. 

Quinn sighed deeply. “Melanie plays the trombone so much better than I do. I’d be ashamed.” 

Nevel comforted his half-sister. 

Dustin Brooks stumbled in. “You’ve got my biro pen!” 

Nevel coughed. “Oops!” He rendered unto Dustin what was Dustin’s. 

Dustin Brooks signed up for spelling bees and for mathletics. “I might have to go to middle school geometry classes for the mathletic team.” Dustin shrugged. 

Nevel suggested, “oh, better let Quinn mentor you. She’s a genius.” 

Quinn petted Nevel’s head. “Hey! Don’t exaggerate!” But of course she was a supreme expert in mathematics, more knowledgeable than any teacher at Pacific Coast Academy. 

Nevel, of course, had got a second thought. He wanted to help Dustin getting a date with Quinn. 

Dustin looked at Quinn? “Really? I should have thought so. Please! Please!” He fell on his knees. 

Quinn sighed. “OK, because you’re the brother of my friend Zoey.” 

Dustin smiled. 

Nevel asked, “Will Zoey also sign up for clubs? Or is she only into the basketball team?” 

Dustin sighed. “She’s too good at too many things. But I guess ... she wants to do fashion design. There’s now a club for tayloring costumes and uniforms for the school’s events.” 

Nevel grinned. “I want to run a **haberdashery** , one day!”1:18

Dustin giggled. “Cool! Er ... what is that?” 

Quinn explained, “sort of a classic men’s outfitter, or someone who trades short wares like needles, buttons, and yarns, including some specialities for outfitting. Nevel has studied the history of these objects and is collecting a few ... quite a few!” 

Dustin beamed brightly. “Cool! Zoey could use those for her experimental fashion.” 

Nevel nodded vigorously. “She needs to see my collection of officers’ coats’ buttons from Nappy’s time.” 

Dustin scratched his chin. “Nappy?” 

Quinn explained, “ **Napoléon Bonaparte** , the French emperor of two centuries ago.” 

Dustin beamed. “Oh, that one!” But now he had to leave again. 

###  1:2:2  Disappointment

1:19

A few hours later, Nevel was alone in his room. 

Dustin was about looking for gummi worms. 

The door was open. 

Sobbing Quinn Pensky slouched in. 

Nevel gasped. “Quinn?” He had never seen her in such a desolate mood. 

Quinn started weeping. 

Nevel stood up and let his half-sister cry on his shoulders. “OK, I’m here. What’s going on?” 

Quinn panted. “Firewire is such a jerk!” 

Nevel did not yet understand. “Who the hell is Firewire? And why is he a jerk?” 

Quinn kept on sobbing. “His proper name is **Wayne Gilbert**.1:20 But he insists in being called _Firewire_. Wayne is the captain of the science fair club.” 

Nevel sighed. “OK, so what?” 

Quinn squealed. “He does not want me to join the club.” 

Nevel gasped. “How dare he? You’re the best scientist and tech freak of the whole nation!” 

Quinn moaned, “I know. But Wayne had declared the club a no-girl zone.” 

Nevel coughed and choked. “What a jerk! He is so going to rue the day. Until the days of dystopia is he going to rue it!” 

Quinn shed a few more tears, soaking Nevel’s good shirt. 

Nevel was not pleased by this fact. But he could not send his only caring relative away. 

Quinn sat down on Dustin’s bed. 

Nevel went to change his shirts. 

An idea crept into his brain. 

> A double date appears to be in order. 
> 
> This will cheer Quinn up. 
> 
> At the same time, Dustin will be able to gather points in the race to Quinn’s heart. 
> 
> Likewise, I will have a great opportunity to get closer to Zoey. 
> 
> Of course, the girls should not see it as a double date. 
> 
> It has to look like two sibling reunions taking place at the same moment in the same place. 

Finally, Quinn had calmed down. 

Nevel proposed, “let’s go together to dinner tomorrow night. Zoey and Dustin could come with us. They may have to talk, too.” 

Quinn smiled. “That sounds like a cool idea!” 

Dustin would like Nevel’s plot as well. 

###  1:2:3  Double Date

1:21

Dustin had reserved a table for four people over at Sushi Rox. 

Nevel was only up to ordering some rice, though. He hated sushi. “Rotting raw fish is full of disgusting germs!” 

Quinn whistled merrily. “We just have to wait for our friends.” 

They did not have to wait for much longer. 

Zoey followed her little brother. “You know my roomie, Nevel Papperman? He’s a younger brother of your best friend, Quinn.” 

Zoey scratched her hair. “Sure I remember!” But she would have preferred to call Nicole Bristow her best friend forever. 

Nevertheless, the tensions between Dana and Nicole had also burdened Zoey’s and Nicole’s relationship to some not so negligeable degree. 

So Dustin may not have been totally wrong. 

**Kazu** ,1:22 the owner of the Japanese bar, walked up to them in order to take the orders. 

Zoey loved tempura rolls.1:23

Quinn wanted to try California rolls. 

Dustin would have loved a bit of everything, and some Japanese candy for desert. But he was too short on money, so he just ordered some tuna in weed. 

Nevel, as said, only wanted some rice and some not fermented soy-based dip. 

Kazu shrugged. “Weird guy ...” thought he for himself. But he accepted the wish, albeit shrugging helplessly. 

The kids sat around the table. 

Unfortunately, Nevel and Zoey were sitting at opposed ends. 

Likewise, Dustin and Quinn were separated. 

Nevel would have preferred to sit next to his adored Zoey. 

The blond barbie girl remarked, “so, Quinn is going to teach Dustin more about higher mathematics?” 

Dustin nodded solemnly. “Oh yeah!” 

Quinn explained, “we’ll start with calculus, and then we will move on to differential geometry, the indispensable prerequisite for Albert Einstein’s general theoiry of relativity!” 

Zoey’s head started turning around. 

Not understanding zilch, she remarked, “oh, that will be interesting. It’s really a really nice move, Quinn! So he won’t have to put up with those bully middle school kids.” 

The nerdy freak girl smiled. 

Dustin grinned like nobody’s business. 

Nevel picked his recorder. “If it takes too long waiting, I may play some baroque campfire music.” 

Quinn shrugged. She had seen that coming. 

Zoey nodded. “Why not?” 

Dustin smiled. “Do you already know about Nevel’s collection of short wares?” 

Nevel grinned. 

Zoey shook her head. “What do you collect?” 

Nevel panted. “oh, I’m almost done with my collection of coat buttons. But I also collect other traditional ornations of uniforms.” 

Zoey was astonished. “Wow! That sounds really interesting! What is your favourite epoch?” 

Nevel explained, “the decline and fall of empires, British, Spanish, or French in particular. I enjoy that topic. It is so much reflected in the development of yarns and adornments used for uniforms.” 

That theory went a bit above Zoey’s head. She was designing fashion for pleasure, and certainly not in order to express the fall and decline of any society. But she had no qualms tolerating Nevel’s — admittedly wird-sounding — interest. 

Nevel finally started blowing his flute. 

Quinn, Dustin, and Zoey relaxed. They had to wait for their second cup of green tea, anyways. 

Nevel took a break. “OK, Zoey, I may show you my composition on my lap top, complete with a background video of a campfire.” 

Zoey was a bit flabbergasted, 

It was past curfew for boys in girls’ rooms, and vice versa. 

Nevel stood up and walked closer to Zoey. “How about a dance?” 

The living barbie doll gasped. “Nevel?” 

Dustin used the occasion in order to move closer to his adored Quinn. 

All of a sudden, Nevel leant owever and kissed Zoey on her right cheek. 

Zoey was consternated. “Nevel!” 

The freak continued, “this was a kiss on your cheek, yet another kiss I seek.”1:24

Each and every other girl would have grabbed the remaining dishes from the table and smeared them all over the daring kid’s face.1:25

Quinn was astonished, too. But she begged, “Zoey, please, don’t hurt him!” 

Zoey took a few seconds in order to recover. “Ok, Quinn, Dustin, would you please leave us alone for a few moments? Thanks!” 

Dustin grabbed Quinn’s wrists in a tender manner. “They have to talk?” He thought about Nevel having moved a bit fast. But he hasd still not lost any hoped. And he thought about being alone with Quinn for quite a few seconds. 

Zoey panted violently. “Sit down, Nevel!” 

The freak boy was puzzled, but he followed the Mary Sue’s commands. 

Zoey started talking, “what did you think?” 

Nevel explained, “we should marry and run a haberdashery together and ...” 

Zoey shook her head. “Listen, Nevel, there are quite a few things I like about you. I adore your great interest and ambition collecting historical short wares.” 

Nevel smiled. 

Zoey continued, “but this doesn’t make us a couple. I would certainly get inspired by your keen sense for historical features of needles, yarns, and buttons. But we can do so as well by just talking about this from time to time. Let alone the age difference. There are so many years to go by, and so many things to change.” 

Nevel started sobbing. “Sorry for all that!” 

Zoey nodded. “Accepted. And now you get your kiss.” She pecked his forehead briefly. 

Nevel smiled. Of course, he had meant his poem in a different sense. But he should have been glad for getting away without a terrible bang. Now he felt like adopted by Zoey as a second little brother. This was nothing to be ashamed of, though. Nevel sighed deeply. 

Zoey concluded, “that said, I don’t mind us continuing those meetings. You may show me some old yarns or so. I’ll always listen. But you won’t confuse them with double dates any longer, will you?” 

Nevel promised solemnly to stick to Zoey’s instructions. 

Zoey gave a sign. 

Quinn and Dustin came back. 

Dustin would learn thoroughly from Nevel’s mistake, after all. 

##  1:3  Plush Bear Disaster

1:26

###  1:3:1  Baby Meals

A few days had gone by ever since. 

One morning, Quinn showed up in the dormitory block of the elementary school boys. “Nevel!” Her voice sounded very angry. 

Nevel Papperman yawned. “You just woke up Dustin. What’s up?” 

Quinn asked, “have you told anyone about my regular consumption of baby meals?” 

Nevel shook his head. “Why would I?” 

Sleepy Dustin had heard that. He cackled. “Quinn, you eat those baby meals? Weren’t they just for experiments?” 

Quinn fainted. “It’s correct, Dustin, I eat baby meals in order to work on a theory about allergies.” 

Dustin shrugged. “Aw!” 

Nevel shook his head. “Why would I tell people about it?” 

Quinn moaned, “sorry! But someone must have done so. And now all middle school boys make fun of it.” 

Nevel thundered, “they will rue the day! They will rue it, until the age of dystopia ...” 

Dustin calmed him down. 

Nevel continued, “I’ve told you, this school is cursed.” 

Quinn sighed deeply. 

Nevel asked, “have you told anyone at this school?” 

Quinn sighed. “Only Zoey, Nicole, and Dana, over in our lounge. There were no boys in there. And we have sworn unto each other to keep it a secret.” 

Nevel sighed. “Dustin, we should examine the situation.” 

Dustin nodded solemnly. 

###  1:3:2  Treacherous Care Bear

In the evening, Dustin and Nevel entered the lounge of Butler Hall. 

Many girls were in there at this moment. 

Dustin spotted a man-sized plush beast adorning one of the walls. “Wow! He’s cute.” He wanted to huggle the bear. 

But Nevel kept him back. “The bear could be cursed!” 

Dustin looked aghast at Nevel. “Zoey, where is that bear from?” 

His voice sounded anxious and intimidated. 

Zoey sighed. “It’s a gift from Logan, in order to make up for his recent arrogance towards us girls.” 

Nevel grunted, “and you believe him?” 

Zoey nodded. “Everyone deserves a second chance, so, why not?” 

Nevel grunted, “Logan is not everyone, he’s a jerk!” 

Nicole objected, “but he’s so cute! He’s on the top of my list of boys with the cutest lips.” 

Dana shook her head. “Fortunately, he’s sick today. And I would not beat up the sick ones.” 

Zoey told Dustin, “you haven’t told anyone about the accident with my toe, have you?” 

Dustin gasped. “What accident?” 

Zoey’s toe had once been squeezed by a bowling ball. 

But Dustin had been too small at that point of his life. 

Zoey whispered a few words into her brother’s ears. 

Nevel told the girls, “I tell you, this bear is the culprit. It is most likely a bewitched voodoo doll! Don’t trust it!” 

Nicole beamed. “Yeah! I so knew it! Finally, someone shares my opinion! But what is a voodoo doll?” 

Zoey whispered a few words into Nicole’s ear, as well. She mentioned the Haïtian cult and its strange practices. 

Hypertalkative Niicole jumped up and down. “Cool! I like Haïti. Is that a city? It is not in Kansas, is it?” She looked a bit puzzled. 

Zoey and Dana looked aghast at their bimbo room mate. 

Nicole was still all excited. “Boys from Haïti are so cute!” 

Nevel was so close to losing his patience. 

Dustin had to prevent him from turning angry towards Nicole. 

Quinn’s half-brother finally calmed down. 

Apparently, all the girls had been humiliated by geting their secrets spread. But nobody wanted to believe in Nevel’s theory about a curse attached to the plush carebear. 

Nevel decided to kick the monstrous thing hard. But he stumbled and slipped. 

Dustin caught his pal. “Nevel!” 

**Chase Matthews** , the bushy and dorky room-mate of Logan, walked in. Like Logan, he had been hired as a delivery boy at “Sushi Rox”. But due to Logan’s sickness, Chase had to do all the work alone. “I went many miles already. Can you believe it? Some high school guy keeps a goat in his dorm. And the goat eatstuna and the other orange stuff.” 

Nevel shuddered for disgust. “That’s it! There is a secret voodoo cult at this school! Voodoo priests sacrifice goats all the time.” 

Dustin decided to walk out with Nevel. 

###  1:3:3  The Search Is On

Nevel and Dustin were back to their room. 

Dustin still tried to get Nevel to calm down. “It’s such an innocent thing.” He was talking about the carebear. 

Nevel grunted, “Logan Reese is the richest playboy of California. He certainly does not need to work a s a delivery boy in order to make some bucks. In fact, he would look down on everyone doing so.” 

Dustin glared aghast. 

Nevel concluded, “Ergo, Logan just works for Kazu for other reasons.” 

Dustin sighed. “There must be something to it. Maybe he just likes to deliver stuff to girls and hit on them while there.” 

Nevel sat down. “Probably!” He sighed deeply. 

There could have been easier ways to achieve that, though. 

Dustin did not trust the peace. He sighed deeply. “But if Logan starts talking about Zoey’s panties ...” He clinched his fists and feigned a punch into Logan’s groin. 

###  1:3:4  Hidden Microchip

However, Nevel’s distrust had effected something. 

The embarrassing rumours betraying the girls’ secrets had started right with the arrival of the carebear in their lounge. 

Quinn took this as a reason for inspecting the plush monster more closely, using electronic detectors. The morning after, she reported back to her half-brother. “Oh Nevel, there’s no curse, it’s much easier.” 

Nevel grunted, “curses are not necessarily complicated.” 

Quinn shrugged. “Maybe? But, now for real, I’ve found a microchip in the push. It uses fire wire technology in order to connect to some receiver.” 

Nevle gaped. “Firewire! I so knew it!” 

Quinn startled. “Do you have to make that that connection? But wait, you could be right. Logan Reese is way too dumb to come up with the whole thing. He does need some technological assistance to set up everything. Wayne Gilbert! He’s now so due!” 

Nevel was thoroughly disappointed. There had been a plain technological explanation. His voodo conspiration was thus to be considered as pointless. _The girls would make excesive fun of him._

But before planning anything else, Quinn needed to get the boys to fess up for their evil deeds. 

###  1:3:5  Toon Army

Wayne Gilbert was alone in his dorm. 

Suddenly, there were voices at the door. “Pizza service!” 

Firewire opened the door. He gasped. “Quinn? And who’s that gnome?” 

Nevel Papperman grunted, “Nevel! My name is Nevel!” 

“Firewire” cackled insanely. 

Nevel grew a bit angry. 

Quinn gave Wayne a carboard box. 

Wayne opened it gleefully. But there was no pizza inside. Wayne had not even ordered any. “Hey! What the ...” Instead of a flat bread with toppings,the cardboard box contained a picture of a care bear. Wayne gasped. But he kept on snickering. 

For Quinn, that was clear enough. She grunted, “fess up!” 

The freak snickered crazily. 

Nevel spotted a few action figures based on some toon heroes. “Nug Nug!”1:27He grabbed some of them and gave them to Quinn. 

The nerd girl nodded. “Thanks, Nevel!” She threatened to harm the figures. 

Only after two damaged action dolls did Wayne see the futility of the resistance. He finally fessed up to having hidden the microchip in the plush carebear. He also betrayed his customer, Logan Reese. “He paid me 100 bucks for that!” 

Quinn swore, “Logan will pay even more dearly!” 

Nevel grinned. 

Firewire remarked, “sorry, I have now got some important phone call from an important customer from San Diego.” 

Quinn took her half-brother’s wrists, and they walked away. 

Hitherto unbeknownst customer would play an important part in Nevel’s life. 

Nevel could not know it. But he had got some foreboding feeling. 

Quinn shook her head, ignoring Nevel’s remarks. “We need to tell Zoey and the other girls.” 

Nevel sighed and followed his elder half-sister like a puppy. 

###  1:3:6  Voodoo Magic

Quinn had reported back to the girls in the lounge. 

Nevel showed them a toon figure of a superhero from some **DC** superhero.1:28

Zoey sighed. “Thanks for finding out.” 

Dana grinned. “That calls for some painful revenge!” 

Nicole shook her hand. “I can’t lift a hand against such a hottie.” 

Zoey nickered. “OK, Nevel’s talk has just given me some idea.” 

The other girls glared curiously at Zoey. 

The blond Mary Sue took a few pencils and repainted the action figure in various ways, making it look like Logan Reese. “Now I need some pins from the bulletin board!” 

Nicole smiled. “OK, may I take the pink ones? I love pink! It’s such a cute colour!” 

Zoey nodded. “Whatever!” 

Dana and Nicole picked a few pins off the board and rendered them unto Zoey. 

The blond barbie girl poked the action figure in the likeness of Logan with all those colourful pins, preferrably targetting particularly sensitive spots. 

###  1:3:7  Logan In Pain

The next morning, Chase Matthews reported to the girls, “oh my god, you won’t believe it. I could hardly sleep. Logan Reese has been whimpering for pain, all night long!” 

Girls laughed like fools. 

Only Nicole pitied the cute jerk. 

Chase wondered, “But nobody has done him anything.” 

Zoey shruggged. “Maybe?” She snickered merrily. 

Chase wondered, “Do you know a simple means against his pains?” 

Zoey didn’t even care about answering the question. 

Chase asked Quinn, “can’t you invent a pain killer?” 

Quinn remarked, “oh, there is already a very cheap one.” 

Chase wondered, “what is it?” 

Quinn explained, “just tell Logan to stop spying on us!” 

Chase was still puzzled. 

Zoey would explain it later on. 

But would Logan ever learn from his pains? That was to be doubted. 

##  1:4  Stunning

1:29

###  1:4:1  Toot Cushion

A few days later, Quinn begged Nevel. “I need you for an experiment.” 

Nevel sighed. “Why? Dustin does that for you.” 

Quinn shook her head. “Dustin is out with the mathletic team. The county-wide championship at Santa Clarita ... they are very strong, or so they say. A certain **Albert Wormenheimer**1:30 is their captain.” 

Nevel sighed deeply. “OK, what experiment?” 

Quinn started explaining, “well, it’s the so-called prank week. The new students get pulled pranks on.” She shrugged. “That’s an old tradition. This year, all girls are targets of the pranks, because we are all new at Pacific Coast Academy. Makes sense?” 

Nevel choked. “So that’s the reason for the toot cushion, this morning.” He shuddered for disgust. “Dustin Brooks! That cries for revenge ...” 

Quinn sighed. “There are worse things than that!” 

Nevel groaned, “such as hair in my cocoa, at breakfast? The _censored_ responsible for this will pay for it dearly! Until the day of dystopia will they rue it!” 

Quinn moaned, “well, the boys, instigated by Logan Reese, have ‘adorned’ our dormitory building with toilet paper, over night. That cries for revenge!” 

Nevel nodded. “It sure does!” 

Quinn continued, “My first thought was that or removing their kidneys by surgical means.” 

Nevel grinned. “Cool! You’ve got your license to perform surgeries?” 

Quinn nodded solemnly. “ **Dr. Hollywood** from nearby **Palmwood**1:31 gave me a junior med diploma.” She exhibited the legal document granting her the license to operate as his deputy. “He was impressed by my knowledge of all cells of the human body by first name, surname, and nick.” 

Nevel grinned. “That’s cool!” 

Quinn sighed. “Unfortunately, Zoey has thought this inappropriate. So I suggested making a bomb rendering boys temporarily unconscious. It would send accoustic signals temporarily neutralising the brain activities of boys.” 

Nevel grinned. “Fantastic!” 

Quinn smiled. “Those dumb lasses refuse to believe in the possibility of such a device. Now I have to teach them a hard lesson. OK, I need to test it on you.” 

Nevel moaned, “OK, bring it on!” He was not quite at ease. He knew about many experiments by his elder half-sister gone awfully awry. But he wanted to get it done. 

Quinn thanked Nevel. “OK!” She inserted electrodes all over his head in order to monitor his neural activities as accurately as only possible. 

Nevel was accustomed to that. 

This was just the first time to go through that procedure with his prior permission. 

Then Quinn varied the frequency and the amplidude off accoustic waves. 

Nevel twitched all over. 

Quinn sighed., “You have got a really big brain, you know. That’s in our family. Thus the impulses work more slowly.” 

Nevel grinned. But finally, he passed out. 

Quinn sighed. Then she reanimated Nevel by tickling his nose hair with a feather. 

Nevel sneezed, regaining consciousness. 

The experiment had worked out nicely. 

Now Quinn just needed to look for a shell in order to case the stunning device. 

Nevel suggested, “Put it into a sushi box!” 

###  1:4:2  The Statue

Quinn and Nevel wanted to see the prank plans of Zoey and the other girls, such as Nicole or Dana. 

The dumber girls crowded around a polished brass statue in front of the hall hosting the boys from middle school, such as Logan Reese and his mindless comrades **Michael Barret** and Chase Matthews. Michael was a room mate of Chase and Logan. 

Quinn asked Zoey about the reasons for this ritual reunion. 

Zoey explained, “we will adorn this statue, crossdressing it as a woman.” 

Nicole arrived with a _D-sized_ bra. “It is from Coco! Where else would I find a bra big enough for that?” 

**Coco Wexler** was the messy and chubby adviser responsible for the girls’ dormitory rooms. 

Zoey gasped. “OK! Bring it on!” 

Nevel was not content. “Nothing is OK!” 

The girls looked at Nevel. 

Quinn’s younger half-brother explained, “The brass monument here is cursed! It is in the likeness of **Mr. Bradford** , the founder of Pacific Coast Academy.” 

The girls looked aghast. 

Quinn wondered, “really? How do you know this?” 

Nevel explained, “Dustin told me! And once a year, right before homecoming, the son of the founder passes by in order to inspect the campus.” 

Zoey shrugged. 

They were not aware of homecoming being scheduled for the upcoming week. 

Nevel looked at the monument. “I can’t tell you why, but staining the memory of this guy will trigger a big curse.” 

Not all of the girls believed in curses. Dana for sure did not. 

But Zoey showed some signs of awe. She was still under the impression of her voodoo torture applied to Logan Reese. She sighed deeply. “OK, no revenge!” 

Nicole looked puzzled. 

Dana grunted rudely, “you won’t let the boys get away with everthing just because of some ugly gnome’s talke about curses?” She pushed Nevel viciously off balance. 

Quinn caught her half-brother. “Watch whom you call ugly, you _censored_!” 

Zoey had got a hard time separating the geek girl from the bully. 

Quinn explained, “while you came up with this dumb idea of staining the memory of the founder, I built this bomb!” 

Nicole’s eyes bugged out. “Free sushi?” She was rigged and ready to eat it all. 

Quinn grunted, “keep your fingers off it! It’s a bomb disguised as free sushi! It works the same way as this ... Nicole, I need your elbow, would you please be that nice?” 

Nicole smiled. “Sure!”She showed Quinn her elbow. “Isn’t it cute? Boys love girls with cute elbows, don’t they?” 

Quinn applied transversal pressure to Nicole’s elbow, making her pass out and drop into Zoey’s arms.1:32

Zoey looked aghast. “Quinn?” 

The geek girl smiled.“So what?” 

Zoey shook Nicole slowly awake. But it did not really work. 

Nevel whispered into the bimbo’s ears, “cute boys spotted, one hundred yards to your left left ...” 

Nicole awoke from her unconsciousness. She squealed and ran into the direction indicated by Nevel. 

There were indeed a few boys, maybe not exactly as cute as anticipated, but still worthy of Nicole’s efforts. 

Alas, the bubbly bimbo scared the boys away. 

Dana sighed for relief due to getting rid of Nicole. But she shook her head, not believing in Quinn’s invention. 

###  1:4:3  Unconscious

Nevel and a bunch of girls glared at the plasma screen in their lounge. 

Quinn had sent Nicole with the sushi box and a wireless cam to the lounge of the boys. 

Nicole stood at the entrance. She was overwhelmed by many cute boys. “Hey, guys, is there a certain Q.T. among you? He should be very cute ... so cute!” 

Chase, Michael, and Logan shook their head. 

Nicole sighed. “He had ordered and already paid these California rolls. Woould you please keep them for him until he shows up?” 

Logan and Michael volunteered. “Of course!” They grabbed the “sushi box”. Of course they were up to eating the “free sushi” and not to keep them for their pal Q.T. 

Nicole sighed. “That’s nice! See you guys! You are so cute!” She walked away, swooning over the boys. 

Quinn zoomed in on the boys from afar. 

The boys cheered. “Free sushi!” 

Logan and Chase made exorbitant fun of Nicole’s stupidity. 

Michael opened the box. 

Logan stuck his nose deep inside. 

But there was no sushi. 

Logan was a bit puzzled. “What the ...” 

Strange sounds filled the air. 

A few moments later, the boys in their lounge all slumped to the ground, passing out on site. 

The girls started celebrating their ice cold revenge. 

Quinn had tuned the sounds for Nevel’s brain. 

For the guys with a poor excuse of a brain, not bigger than a shriveling raisin, the effect was much more striking. 

Quinn explained, “they won’t recover before dawn.” 

Zoey smiled. “That serves them right!” 

Nevel and Quinn grinned with glee. 

But Nevel was more worried about the monument of old Mr. Bradford than about the revenge. 

##  1:5  Theatre

1:33

###  1:5:1  The Drama Club Of PCA

The large variety of clubs at Pacific Coast Academy has already been mentioned. This included a drama club. 

The mere vicinity to Hollywood contributed a lot to the club’s significance. On the other hand, Pacific Coast Academy could not really compete with specialised schools growing like mushrooms on the fertile ground of Los Angeles county. 

These top schools included aforementioned Palmwood, a school run by the trades union of professions related to the Hollywood business, and **Hollywood School For The Professional Performance Arts** ,1:34 the school sponsored by the very csars of Hollywood business — for example Malcolm Reese — themselves. 

On the other hands, many parents deliberately chose a school of general education, such as Pacific Coast Academy, for their gifted children instead of one of the specialised institutions. It was a perfect compromise between several potential careers. 

This would be seen best in the case of some star actresses coming to Pacific Coast Academy later on, viz. **Lola Martinez**1:35 and **Ashley Blake**.1:36

This year, there were no real divas at Pacific Coast Academy. But there was at least one totally aspiring playwright. He was no other than Chase Bartholomew Matthews, the most bushy head of the whole county of Los Angeles. 

The club was advised by **Mr. Fletcher** , a former assistant director at the studios of Malcolm Reese and other colossi of Hollywood. And this year, they were going to perform a play written by Chase Matthews, a _chick flick_ , pardon, a _romantic comedy_ about alien girl _Zorka of Zorkesia_ and a hot beach guard. 

Zorka’s spaceship had steered off course and dropped into the Pacific ocean on planet earth. Zorka was lost in the ocean, just to be saved from the raging waves by the courageous life guard. The play was concluded by a kiss. 

###  1:5:2  The Hunch

The elementary school kids were not involved in the school play for middle school kids. But through their elder sisters, Dustin and Nevel came to hear about it. 

Nevel grunted, “the deeper purpose of the play is so obvious. It sucks!” 

Dustin did not understand his roomie’s concerns. “It is about romantic relationships between people from different galaxies? Intergalactic fluff sounds so totally cute!” 

Alas, Nevel was nowhere near convinced of that. “Oh no, that would be so pointless. Really, don’t you see? What do _Zorka_ and _Zorkesia_ sound like?” 

Dustin scratched his chin. “Like Zoey?” He gasped. 

Nevel nodded. “Bingo! Chase wants to hit on Zoey and get her to kiss him. He uses this play as a mean trick.” 

Dustin was now totally consternated. He had always deemed Chase as a cool boy. “So Chase is just a sneaky creep?” 

Nevel shrugged. “It looks like this!” 

Dustin sighed deeply. “I can’t let just any horny creep kiss Zoey. We must do something about it!” 

Nevel nodded solemnly. “I’m in it!” 

The two of them hi-fived in a vigorous manner. 

###  1:5:3  Auditions

Mr. Fletcher had gathered the interested kids for the auditions. 

This was the first years of girls at Pacific Coast Academy. 

Before that, female star characters had to be portrayed by either cross-dressed male pupils or by girls from neighbouring school. The latter had somewhat defied the purpose of the drama club as a club of students of Pacific Coast Academy. The former had had embarrassing consequences for the cross dressers. 

Last year, a certain **Mark del Figgalo** had been in the uttermost ungrateful situation. He had never been a girl magnet, anyways. His transvestite performance made things even worse. But he still tried out for the character of Zorka. This was ridiculous. 

But the girls before him were no better. One of them had screamed like a fury. The other one had sung instead of speaking, and very poorly at that. 

Two — supposed — janitors entered the stage. Of course, they were nobody other than Nevel Papperman and Dustin Brooks. 

Mr. Fletcher grunted, “the auditions are not yet over.” 

Nevel replied, “that doesn’t matter. We have to start earlier. Auditions make a lot of dirt. Or so says **Herb**.”1:37

Said Herb was the leading janitor at Pacific Coast Academy. 

Mr. Fletcher glared puzzled. 

Dustin added, “there’s a new pandemia seizing Los Angeles County. Already 500 kids have died from it.” 

Nevel explained, “the germs are everywhere! And we, the janitors of Pacific Coast Academy, are responsible for killing the germs at their source!” He held a germ killer detergent aloft. 

Mr. Fletcher choked hard. “OK, keep on cleaning! Each and every angle!” 

Dustin promised, “we will!” 

Nevel nodded vigorously. 

Next, Zoey tried out. She had got absolutely no intentions towards professional acting. Her motivations for trying out were the following: 

First — Chase was a good friend, and he had put so many efforts into writing this play. 

Zoey wanted to help him getting it performed nicely. 

Second — She was a hobby fashion designer and wanted to design costumes. Costume design for Hollywood movies was the most straightforward way for a future star designer from California to start a career. And some basic acting experience was not a bad thing for any backstage career at Hollywood. 

Chase grinned when listening to Zoey’s words. 

She recited her excerpt from the script exactly as intended by Chase. 

This was not much of a surprise. Chase had finetuned that passage precisely for Zoey. 

Thus Zoey did not portray Zorka, she was Zorka. 

For Chase and Mr. Fletcher, the decision was as clear as crystal waters. 

Zoey was the one and only choice for the female star. 

Dustin’s stomach cramped. 

Nevel was not at ease, either. But he got Dustin to keep on acting as a janitor instead of as Zoey’s little brother. 

By default, Chase would have been the male star. 

But Mr. Fletcher needed to wait for the other postulants before making that decision. 

One of them was Logan Reese. Inspite of being the son of Hollywood’s emperor, viz. Malcolm Reese, Logan was not really a fan of theatre. But he was definitely a fan of seducing girls in the most perverse manner. And he portrayed the hot baywatch exorbitantly well. He was a bad actor. But he did not have to act. He was just after Zoey like nobody’s business. 

Of course, Dustin and Nevel smelled the foul stench. 

Alas, Mr. Fletcher could not help but give Logan the character of the hot life guard. 

Chase was totally consternated. He started hating himself precisely for having written that play. 

Logan grinned triumphantly, looking forward towards kissing Zoey at the end of the play. 

This would have been even way worse than a kiss between Chase and Zoey. 

###  1:5:4  The Plot

Nevel was really upset, “Logan is obsessed with Satan. He is on a mission of seducing Zoey, the holy virgin.” 

Dustin’s eyes bugged out. “Really?” He did actually not believe in Nevel’s religious fanatism. But he did not deny the urgency of the situation. 

The worst thing was the following: 

Zoey Brooks had even started liking Logan Reese. 

Nevel concluded, “your sister has been bewitched. Now she’s subject of an evil course!” 

Dustin trembled over and over. Even without believing Nevel’s talk about maledictions and bad omens, he sensed Zoey in a big moral danger. “But what can we do in order to stop the performance?” 

Nevel shrugged. “Find an actor better than Logan? Or an actress more suited than Zoey?” 

Dustin sighed. “There are no professional actors at Pacific Coast Academy. And no amateur may top them.” 

Nevel grinned. “Maybe Quinn can?” 

Dustin gasped. “What? Quinn is an actress? Since when? And why hasn’t she yet tried out?” 

Nevel grinned. “Quinn is certainly not an actress. But she has got an alike-looking cousin named Camille. And said **Camille**1:38 is a perfect actress. She may both pass as Quinn and portray Zorka.” 

Dustin was totally excited. “That sounds fantastic! So ... where is your cousin?” 

Nevel shook his head. “Quinn is related to Camille, I’m not!” 

Dustin sighed. “OK, where is Camille?” 

Nevel sighed. “With Quinn’s aunt in Wisconsin. But she wants to try out for a movie at Hollywood, anyways.” 

###  1:5:5  The Première

Camille had tried out, using her cousin’s name. Being just on the brink of professionality, she outdid Zoey with ease. 

Zoey had been totally surprised by Quinn’s performance. 

Mr. Fletcher could not help but dropping Zoey for Quinn’s sake. 

This was not much according to Logan’s taste. But as a proper playboy, he had to be able to crack all girls, no matter whom. 

And with a hot outfit, the fake Quinn didn’t even look nerdy. So it wasn’t bad at all. 

The play was approaching its end. They were only three lines away from the end. The kiss was anticipated by the whole audience. 

Logan asked the proper question. Then he pluckered with his lips. 

Alas, Camille did not kiss him. Instead, she slapped him across the cheeks, both left and right. 

Mr. Fletcher gasped. “That’s not in the script!” 

Logan was consternated. 

Camille boomed, “you butt filthy creep! You’ve wanted to make out with each an every other girl on this beach, including my best friend! It’s over! I’m going back to Zorkesia. You guys from planet earth are all the same. Bleh!” She spat into Logan’s general direction and returned to her sapaceship. 

The audience applauded anyways. 

Zoey was watching too. “Wow! Quinn has really got the hang out of it. Why did you never tell me about your ambitions as an actress, Quinn? Quinn?” 

The nerd girl had been sitting right next to Zoey all the time. “Sorry, I’m still here. That’s my cousin Camille!” 

Zoey fainted. 

Quinn and Camille shook hands. 

Another onlooker unmasked himself. 

Fletcher’s breath froze. “Sikowitz!” 

**Mr. Sikowitz**1:39 taught acting at Hollywood School For The professional Performance Arts. He congratulated Camille. 

Quinn’s cousin had thus not only gained a character in a new movie produced by Malcolm Reese, but also a full scholarship at “Hollywood School For The Professional Performance Arts”. 

Nevel and Dustin grinned with glee. 

##  1:6  Mark Del Figgalo

1:40

###  1:6:1  Dustin’s Phobia

Nevel and Dustin were studying for an upcoming test. They had sat down in the meadows near the campus square. 

It was a bright and warm day of fall. Well, it was warm compared to Seattle, anyways. 

Dustin suddenly started screaming. 

Nevel wondered, “are you OK, Dustin?” 

There was a little toad. The beast must have scared Nevel’s roomie. 

Nevel croaked like a toad, just poorly. 

The amphibian ran and took cover. “Old trick learned from Quinn ...” 

Dustin panted heavily. He was still scared to death. “It all started with a fish in a little fish tank. Just a cute little goldfish ... I stuck my fingerinto the water in order to play with him. But he bit me. Ouch!” Dustin still felt the pain. 

Nevel sighed. “Hey! Quinn has just invented a pass out spray. And the best is: It contains only nartural ingredients found in the kitchen, such as lemon juice and soy sauce. That’s so much better than the sonic stun bomb used in order to get back at Logan and his henchmen for their evil deeds.” 

Dustin moaned, “and so?” 

Nevel explained, “well, put the liquid into a squirting can, and you will make any small vertebral pass out. You won’t have to be afraid any longer.” 

Dustin smiled, “That sounds cool!” 

###  1:6:2  Quinn’s Crush

At the same time, Quinn Pensky had to face a completely different problem. She appeared to have a crush on aforementioned Mark del Figgalo, the worst dork and dweeb of Pacific Coast Academy. 

The other girls deemed this a very bad taste. But they dcould not bear Quinn’s sickening infatuation. 

First, Quinn had been encouraged to ask Mark for a date. But she had messed it up by asking him for a nose hair. She collected those things for scientific purposes. 

Zoey tried to teach Quinn to behave appropriately around boys. 

This implied refraining from using overly scientific words. 

But Zoey was such a fool. She could not tell insects from arachnoidea. 

Nevel eyed Quinn’s crush with distrust. “He is probably not really suited for her.” 

###  1:6:3  The Stun Spray

Nevel and Dustin had filled Quinn’s latest invention into a squirting can. 

Now Dustin was perfectly able to defend himself against beasts like giant squirrels and toads. 

Alas, the first to feel Dustin’s wrath was Michael Barret. 

The annoying jokemaker had made fun of Dustin’s fear of animals. 

Zoey was gasping upon seeing Michael slump mercilessly to the floor. She had already seen Quinn’s mix in action, though. 

Quinn had demonstrated it on innocuous Chase. 

Michael, on the other hand, deserved the treatment. 

Otherwise Zoey would have rebuked Dustin severely for using those mean weapons. She dragged the lifeless meatloaf into the meadows. “Hope he has learned his lesson!” 

Chase had watched the scewne with awe. He had been so close to laughing as well. But now he decided to better not mess with Dustin. 

Zoey was in a dilemma. Quinn lacking the guts, Zoey had decided to ask Mark on her behalf. 

But the dweeb had turned her down. 

And now Zoey had not been honest to Quinn. She had feared the nerd’s temper tantrum. She had tried to distract Quinn by offering her tickets for a ballet _Einstein on Ice_. But she had not been successful. 

Her idea was that of a fake double date. Chase would have to take Mark to a picnic. Zoey would do the same with Quinn. Then they would meet accidentally in the meadows. 

###  1:6:4  Espionage

Of course Nevel could not allow any arbitrary person to date his elder half-sister. He had to find out about Mark del Figgalo. 

Dustin offered himself as a spy, He was very good at these tasks and became better and better with the passage of time. 

Mark was just done with his classes. 

Dustin was once more camouflaged as a janitor. He swept the floor with an old broom. He reported back to Nevel via cellular phone. 

Mark slouched across the campus. He was not very attentive. He was almost run over by some bicycle. 

Dustin had almost only boring things to report. But he laughed mercilessly about Mark’s little mishaps. 

Bypassing Logan Reese remarked, “Dustin, why are you sweeping the meadow?” 

Dustin gasped. “For they are ... dusty?” 

Logan cackled and moved on. 

Dustin reported, “maybe I should use another disguise next time. Or I will try to clean the pavement with a lawn mower.” 

Nevel sighed. “Apparently!” 

But suddenly things took a more interesting turn. 

Mark was meeting a girl named Courtney Cohort.1:41

Dustin had not yet come to know her or her name, though. He reported the accident. 

Nevel replied, “very interesting indeed! But are you sure ... she isn’t Mark’s sister or cousin?” 

Dustin explains, “Zoey would never do those unspeakable things to me that this lass just does to Mark.” He shuddered for disgust. 

Nevl panted. “OK, that’s enough! Mark has already got a girlfriend. That was it. Quinn wioll be huurt. But I have to tell her.” He already felt Quinn’s painful reaction. 

Dustin nodded. “I understand that. I would have to tell Zoey the same. But why is that girl here not a dweeb? I mean ... how does an uncomely wallflower like del Figgalo get at such a girl? That’s not fair! I’m much less hideous. And still no girl wants me.” 

Nevel sighed deeply. “Hey! You’re getting close. There must be something fishy! I can smell it!” 

Dustin continued his report. “They are now entering Sushi Rox. Do I have to follow them?” 

Nevel sighed. “Your mission should be complete. But better keep them under observation. I should tell Quinn before she sees them!” 

###  1:6:5  Knowing The Truth

Nevel told his half sister about the date of Mark and Courtney. He also showed her photographs taken by the camera built into Dustin’s cellular phone and aired via fire wire. 

Quinn was not exactly pleased. “What? Mark has already got a girlfriend? And he invites me has got the guts to invite me to a picnic? He better dig his own tomb!” 

Nevel continued, “but I don’t get it. Mark is such a dweeb.” 

Quinn rebuked Nevel severely. 

Nevel continued, “hey! How does Mark get at such a hot girlfriend? There must be some evil magics behind the scenes.” 

Rationalist Quinn had to calm her half-brother. “Nevel! There is no such thing as evil magics!” She started weeping, anyways. Quinn’s heart was broken for the first time. 

Nevel called Zoey in order to take care of Quinn. 

The blond Mary Sue could not make it too fast. 

Quinn lay face down on a garden bench. Her tears flooded the ground beneath. 

Finally, Zoey Brooks showed up. “Quinn! There are other boys as well.” 

Quinn groaned, “but they aren’t as gorgeous as Mark!” She kept on weeping like a cataract. 

Zoey asked, “would you know want to watch _Einstein on Ice_?” 

Quinn sobbed. “OK!” 

But soon, Zoey’s lie would dawn. 

Quinn would not talk to Zoey again for several weeks. 

###  1:6:6  Courtney

A few hours later, Dustin had identified Courtney, 

Like all female students, she was new at Pacific Coast Academy. That was evident. Thus looking into old yearbooks made no sense. 

Nevel still insisted in an evil wizard being behind Mark and Courtney. “Whoever is responsible for this ... he is going to rue the day! He will rue it, until the times of dystopia will he rue it!” 

Dustin started shivering. He held tight to his can of stun spray. “I could make Courtney pass out, then Quinn could ...” 

Nevel shook his head. “Stealing Mark in such a worldly manner would only aggravate the curse and get Quinn deeper involved. She would slip from one inept boyfriend into another and never find mental peace on earth.” 

Dustin sighed deeply. “Probably! Now Mark ... what next? Logan Reese?” He was close to puking. 

Nevel gasped. “That would be the end of Quinn’s sanity! Beware! We must identify the source of the curse and destroy it at the roots!” 

Dustin felt Nevel exaggerating. But he could not help feeling thrilled. _Was there really a curse?_

##  1:7  Drake At PCA

1:42

###  1:7:1  Spring Fling Ahead

The kids at Pacific Coast Academy were already looking forward to traditional PCA Spring Fling, an annual party. But this was not exactly an event to look forward to. During the last years, lame bands had performed in the open air and bored the kids. In addition, a luke-warm buffet had been served. 

This made boys like Chase Bartholomew Matthews and Michael Barret shudder with excruciating disgust. 

But maybe the new power girls at Pacific Coast Academy would change the situation? 

And, indeed, Zoey Brooks had got an idea. 

Recently, a teenage rock guitarist from San Diego Belleview had become totally popular among the kids of South California. It was **Drake Parker**.1:43 He had subbed for injured **Devin Malone** ,1:44 a renowned rock guitarist, at a concert in San Diego, and convinced the masses. 

Many girls at PCA were total fans of him, including Zoey Brooks, Nicole Bristow, and Dana Cruz. 

But there was one hitch: The manager of Drake Parker, one greedy bastard, requested five thousand bucks for a concert of Drake and his band. 

This was not little money for the girls. 

Of course, Logan Reese could have afforded easily to sponsor the concert. 

But Drake Parker was already a totally renowned heartthrob of the girls. 

Logan feared his competition. No, he knew very well to be totally unable to compete with him. There was no way for Logan to sponsor his competitors to come to the campus of Pacific Coast Academy and bark up Logan’s trees. 

Zoey was thus required to try to get the money in other ways. She thought of the conventional means of fund raising, such as selling self-made shirts and washing the teachers’ cars. As a cool designer, Zoey was certainly able to design a few interesting shirts suitable for a concert of Drake. 

Using bucks earned for helping Quinn with experiments, Dustin had made the first donation to the funds. The experiment was about sleep withdrawal. 

Fortunately, Nevel had been able to dissuade Quinn from continuibg the experiment. “Zoey would not exactly like it.” 

###  1:7:2  Objections

Dustin was very keen on the prospects of a concert of Drake Parker at Pacific Coast Academy. 

But Nevel did not share that opinion. “I don’t like that.” 

Dustin wondered, “why?” 

Nevel explained, “Drake Parker is such a jerk, he is by no means better than Logan Reese. Otherwise Logan would not have qualms sponsoring the concert.” 

Dustin had got a hard time swallowing the logics. 

Nevel speculated, “Drake is probably an evil demon incarnate, one of the brood of **Semyazah** ,1:45 such as Logan Reese.” 

Dustin looked consternated. “More demons?” He did not know the legend of Semyazah, found in books of non-canonical hebrew mythology. 

Nevel nodded sadly. “They come in order to seduce the virtuous girls of Pacific Coast Academy.” 

Dustin feared sincerely for Zoey’s integrity. “Are you really sure?” 

Nevel moaned, “just an intuition ...” Unfortunately, Nevel’s intuitions had sometimes turned out correct in awry manners. 

This did nothing to calm down Dustin. But he really liked Drake’s music. 

Nevel shrugged. “If he comes to Pacific Coast Academy, we have to observe him closely.” 

Dustin nodded solemnly. 

But Nevel also had to wonder about something else. “I have heard about a certain **Megan Parker**1:46 from San Diego.” 

Dustin shrugged. “Who would that be?” 

Nevel replied, “a girl of our age participating in the Californian state final. She plays the oboe.” 

Dustin wondered, “aren’t you qualified for the state finals, as well?” 

Nevel nodded solemnly. “We could be worst opponents over there.” 

Dustin shivered. 

###  1:7:3  Car Crash

During the car wash action, Zoey had been really careless. She had thusly demolished much of the car of **Garth Burman** , the chairman of the board of Pacific Coast Academy. 

Nevel commented, “and the curse begins.” 

Chase and Michael suggested to hire greasemonkey **Joe Braxley**.1:47 But this would have used up about all of the funds raised hitherto, making concert appear impossible. 

###  1:7:4  Drake Parker

Indeed, only one and a half thousand bucks had been left after the repair of the car. 

And Drake was already on the way to Pacific Coast Academy. 

In other words, the girls would have to pay for his expenses so far and then have to send him home due to being unable to pay him. 

Nevel sensed something worse behind him. He suspected, “Drake might perform in turn for making out with Zoey.” 

Dustin went totally pale. He did not want Zoey to get corrupted by a reckless jerk. 

Nevel and Dustin hid behind some shrubbery. 

Nevel held one of Quinn’s sonic bombs in his hands. “Just in case!” 

Dustin nodded solemnly. “If he dares to touch my sister ...” 

And there was the great moment. The band had arrived and exited the van. 

Zoey tried to explain the situation. 

Fortunately, Drake only touched Nicole. 

The bimbo wench could not control herself and was automatically attracted to — in her own judgment – cute boy Drake Parker. 

Drake noticed Zoey’s shirts and took her design as a payment for the concert. 

Dustin sighed for exorbitant relief. 

Nevel coughed. “Things are still not over. He is dangerous until after the concert.” 

Dustin feared to have to believe Nevel. 

Nevel sensed some movements in the van. 

Dustin wondered, “a ghost?” 

Alas, the kids sneaking out of the car looked very much alive. 

Nevel stopped the mystery girls. 

Dustin was addicted to one of them. 

She would turn out as **Wendy Gellar** ,1:48 best friend of Megan Parker, the other girl. 

Nevel interrogated the girl. 

Dustin went dizzy. “Wendy is mega hot!” 

Nevel sighed. “Megan Parker? The prodigy of the oboe?” 

Megan smiled. “Wow! You’ve heard about me?” 

Nevel explained, “that’s what you get for being qualified for the state finals in classic musics. I play the piano and the recorder.” 

Megan moaned, “Nevel Papperman? ” 

Nevel nodded solemnly. “You will rue the day of competing with me!” 

Megan shrugged. “Won’t help you! You can’t win.” 

Nevel turned angry. 

Wendy and Dustin had to separate the bickering rivals. 

Wendy made Dustin totally blush. 

Drake was now performing _Highway To Nowhere_1:49

Wendy and Dustin rapped along. 

Megan explained, “Wendy is totally obsessed with Drake. I had to help her sneak into the van for that concert.” 

Nevel sighed. “Honestly, I don’t trust your brother. He’s such a jerk. He must be a demon from hell.” 

Megan sighed. “You tell me? Truth spoken, I have never trusted him, never in ten years.” She shuddered. “But I can’t help it, being his little sister.” She sobbed. “And our step-brother **Joshuah Nichols**1:50 is by no means better.” 

Nevel looked aghast. “Hey, you’re not alone.” Nevel wondered unto himself, “how exactly have I meant this?” 

Megan announced, “Drake and Josh are incredible boobs. It’s so totally embarrassing.” 

Nevel liked the expression _boobs_ for embarrassing boys. “Drake’s music isn’t that great.” 

Megan nodded solemnly. 

They had to talk in whispers in order to not upset Dustin and Wendy. 

“Granted, I got accustomed to it. It bores me after a while.” Megan wondered, “we could make some music with our instruments.” 

Nevel looke puzzled. 

Megan insisted, “come on! Your recorder, my oboe ... there’s a lot we can do with that!” 

Nevel sighed, thinking “maybe Megan was not that wrong ...” He moaned, “so ... what to play?” 

Megan suggested, “how about a requiem?” 

Nevel nodded. “Mozart’s requiem? It reminds me of the impending dystopia.” 

Megan agreed wholeheartedly. “Those boobs won’t recede from their limbs in peace, but in despair and dismay. Truly bitter poison appears sweet unto them. They rejoice in their own folly.” 

Without having ever practiced together, they started performing nicely. 

Minutes passed like this. 

###  1:7:5  Heartbroken Dustin

The day had come to an end. 

Dustin was lying awake on his bed. He whimpered like a lovesick puppy. 

Nevel wondered, “what’s going on, Dustin?” 

Zoey’s little brother replied, “it feels so bad.” 

Nevel asked, “what does?” 

Dustin moaned, “I’ve aske Wendy for a date, and ...” 

Nevel feared the worst. 

Dustin squealed, “Wendy has just laughed about me.” He started weeping. 

Nevel sighed. He took some paper napkin in order to wipe Dustin’s face dry. 

Dustin stopped weeping, but kept on sobbing. “Whereas you and Megan are one heart and one soul.” 

Nevel gasped. “What? We are the worst rivals ever seen in California.” But he had to blush deeply. Could he really hide his feelings? He didn’t even want to admit to having got feelings at all. But he could not deny, “Megan is very interesting, indeed.” 

##  1:8  Mindy Crenshaw

1:51

###  1:8:1  Banapples

Usually, Quinn worked on her theories and experiments in her secret laboratory. But today, she was out in the school park. 

Dustin and Nevel followed her. 

There was some strange shrubbery. It looked remotely like a banana plant. 

Quinn sighed. “This was a banana plant. But upon some genetical manipulation, it became a banapple plant!” 

Dustin looked puzzled. 

Nevel remarked, “aw, Quinn likes blending names. A banapple is a cross between a banana and an apple.” 

Quinn nodded proudly. 

This was her groundbreaking attempt of a progress in the world of practical botanics. A new fruit would conquer mankind. But the plant was still young and vulnerable. Birds and worms could pick it apart. 

Quinn pondered about putting up a scarecrow in her likeness. 

Dustin thought, “but you are hot. The crows won’t get scared.” 

Quinn giggled. “I will equip the doll with built-in laser guns.” 

Dustin looked puzzled. 

Nevel feared, “you better protect your banapple tree from snoopers.” 

Dustin wondered, “snoopers?” 

Nevel grunted, “many kids envy Quinn for her supreme intellect and her extraordinary scientific achievements.” 

Dustin looked aghast. 

Quinn sighed. “Too true ... I would not want my research plagiarised.” 

Nevel panted heavily. “Indeed, Megan Parker, the sister of that Drake boob, has sent me a message.” He blushed. 

Dustin snickered. “Oh, I knew it! Megan likes Nevel!” 

Nevel blushed even more. “No way! It was a letter to many kids from several prep schools in California. The warning is about one **Melinda Crenshaw**.”1:52

Dustin shrugged. 

The name rang a bell in Quinn. “Melinda Crenshaw has been a runner up in last years’ southern Californian regionals of the science fair contest. She had cloned her puppies.” 

Nevel shrugged. “According to Megan, Melinda Crenshaw has just been expelled from her school, **Belleview** ,1:53 after trying to get Drake framed for one of her practical jokes.1:54 Noone knows about her whereabouts. She may be very dangerous.” 

Dustin started to shiver. 

Quinn gasped. “That doesn’t sound nice.” 

Nevel had also received a picture of Mindy and a sample of her DNA. 

Quinn beamed. “OK, my portable DNA analyser might work by now.” 

Dustin wondered, “you suppose us to watch out for her?” 

Quinn smiled. “Exactly!” 

Dustin panted heavily. “OK. It sounds dangerous, but cool!” 

###  1:8:2  Backpack Booth

A new girl had just opened an open air booth in the middle of the campus square. She was selling fashionably ornated backpacks. 

Many kids were glad on buying them. 

Dustin and Nevel passed by. 

The stranger asked, “do you want to buy a backpack?” 

Dustin needed one. But he took a look at the price. “May I pay later?” 

The stanger replied, “cash or no deal, you ugly toad.” 

Dustin went really angry. 

Nevel grabbed his wrists and pulled him away. “Don’t make any fuss. She looks totally like Mindy Crenshaw.” 

Dustin gasped. “I should have noticed that. Now I know it. You must be right.” 

Alas, this could have been an accident. They needed to test the new girl’s DNA and compare it to the sample sent by Megan Parker. 

A few steps later, Dustin and Nevel ran into Zoey, Nicole, Chase, and Michael. 

Those upperclass kids were disputing the situation. 

A new girl named Stasie had stolen Zoey’s design for fashionable backpacks. 

Dustin sighed. “I knew it ... only Zoey may design those fashionable things. She’s the best!” 

Nevel agreed wholeheartedly. 

Dustin moaned. “We have to do something about it. Too bad her name is Stasie, and not Mindy.” 

Nevel coughed. “Do you think a charlatan would enroll here using a correct name?” 

Dustin looked puzzled. “Probably not?” 

Nevil insisted, “hell no! The name is probably as fake as her smile. We have to get her DNA! Maybe she’s a demon!” 

Dustin agreed wholeheartedly. He could even swallow the “demon” part for this time being. “Noone shall plagiarise Zoey unpunished!” 

###  1:8:3  The Trick

A few hours later, Nevel and Dustin passed again the booth. 

This time, Dustin had got a few bucks more. He had borrowed them from Logan Reese and would have to pay them back by doing some errants for him. This hurt Dustin a lot. 

“Stasie” grinned. “Do you now want to buy one? Don’t waste my time, you little buggers.” 

Dustin nodded. “I’ve got the bucks!” 

Nevel added, “but it would be cool for you to leave your lip marks on the backpack, hottie!. That would make it authentic.” 

Stasie laughed. 

Nevel explained, “We suspect some Zoey Brooks to plagiarise your design.” 

Dustin nodded. “Very bad!” 

Stasie sighed. “OK, you’re right. Never trust blond wannabes.” 

Nevel handed her some special lip balm. “It contains some strong germ killer!” 

“Stasie” shrugged. “OK!” She applied the balm to her lips and kissed the backpack. “Content?” 

Nevel nodded solemnly. 

Dustin rendered the agreed amount of bucks unto — so called — Stasie. 

Nevel and Dustin received the backpack and walked away. The lip balm served the purpose of carrying the victim’s DNA. 

Dustin scraped off a bit of the balm and placed it into Quinn’s portable DNA analyser. 

Nevel started the device. A few seconds later, a result was obtained. The sample DNA submitted by Megan Parker was identical to that of Stasie alias Mindy Crenshaw. 

Nevel and Dustin hi-fived. 

###  1:8:4  Deal With The Creature

In the evening hour, Nevel and Dustin snuck up to Mindy Crenshaw. 

This occurred in a shadowy corner of the girls’ lounge. 

Nevel grunted, “Ms. Crenshaw!” 

Mindy span around. “There’s no such person here!” 

Dustin grunted, “hah! You can’t fool us!” 

Mindy insisted, “I’ve never heard that name before.” 

Nevel grinned. “But you react to it, right?” 

Mindy went pale. 

Dustin also added. “and we’ve got your DNA, you dirty demon!” 

Mindy growled, “hey! I’ve already been called a creature.1:55 But nobody would ever dare to call me a demon.” 

Nevel shrugged. “Creature ... demon ... who cares?” 

Dustin nodded. 

Mindy sighed all exhausted. “What do you want? I won’t kiss you, though.” 

Dustin and Nevil chuckled. 

Dustin requested, “give up on your business of selling my sister’s backpacks! It’s her design, all hers!” 

Nevel boomed, “furthermore, you will assist my half-sister Quinn in her research.” 

Dustin nodded. “Either this, or we will go to Dean Rivers and ...” 

Mindy could not risk that. She trembled all over. “The Parkers and Nichols must have told you. Grrr!” 

###  1:8:5  Forbidden Fruits

Quinn’s banapples would have been way to caustic and acidic. 

But Mindy was able to help her to find the problem faster than usual. 

Thus the first banapples were finally ripe. 

Dustin and Nevel tasted them. 

Nevel purred. “Most delicious fruit ever!” 

Dustin had got remorses. “Do you really want to let your half sister work with such a demon, or, rather, with such a creature.” 

Also, Zoey was now working with Mindy. She was not a great marketer, thus she let Mindy do that, for some agreed salary. 

Nevel sighed. “It scares me a bit. Alas, I don’t see another way. Quinn alone may not be able to persuade Wayne ‘Firewire’ Gilbert. Quinn and Mindy together, however, are certainly going to blow his stupid butt sore. And even King Solomon could not have built the Temple of Zion without the support of seven demons.”1:56

Dustin started shuddering. 

Nevel continued, “the temple got destroyed, releasing the demons upon mankind. We must be very careful.” 

Dustin was not at ease. 

Dealing with demons or creatures could have lead to devastating consequences. 

Were Nevel and Dustin really up to it? 

###  1:8:6  Mad Style

By Mindy’s marketing, Zoey would become known as the designer of high quality fashionable backpacks throughout the United States within a few weeks. 

Her first customer was a certain **Backpack Boy** from **James K. Polk**1:57 in nearby Santa Clarita. He sold backpacks to his fellow students and paid decent royalties to Zoey. 

But this had just been the start. Within the same year, **lian Madigan**1:58 of New York City’s hugest fashion labels viz. **Mad Style** would be interested in Zoey’s designs, not only the backpacks, but even more the shirts and other pieces of excruciatingly fashionable outfit. 

###  1:8:7  Suspicious

Nevel Papperman stood at the monument of old Mr. Bradford. He reasoned, “So, this is the guy building the Pacific Coast Academy. It must have been quite some work. Maybe he had also needed the aid of seven demons, just like back then King Solomon? The demons may still be among us. We have to operate carefully. Lest the demons may wreak unspeakable havoc upon us, the pupils, the teachers, the staff, the whole city, the whole world.” 

Dustin was listening. He went totally pale. He had got a hard time believing Nevel. But he could not help deeming it possible. _Was Nevel right?_ The thought was inifinitely scary. 

##  1:9  Middle School Dance

1:59

###  1:9:1  The Announce

The annual middle school dance at Pacific Coast Academy was around the corner. 

During the last years, the school had been for boys only. But this gap was closed with girls from neighbouring schools, such as Palmwood, **Eastridge** ,1:60, Hollywood School For The Professional Performance Arts, **Silver Spring** ,1:61 or James K. Polk. 

This year, there were girls at Pacific Coast Academy. But they were severely outnumbered. This lead basically to the same problem and the same fix. 

###  1:9:2  Computer Test

Nevel Papperman and Dustin Brooks were sittiong in their dormitory room. As elementary school boys they were not going to participate in the ball. But they kept on talking about it, especially because of Quinn and Zoey. 

Nevel wondered, “did Zoey already get asked out? Or is it girls choice? I don’t want Quinn to ask Mark and get beaten up by Courtney. She’s a criminal, I tell you, possessed by Satan.” 

Dustin shook his head. “Neither this nor that. The students have got to fill in some stupid questionary. A computer will compare them and stuff.” 

Nevel sighed deeply. “OK. According to Quinn, computers may never go wrong.” 

Dustin sighed, “but what if some jerk steals Zoey’s answer?” 

Nevel gasped. “You’re right. A demon possessed jerk could do that. Same for Quinn ... I don’t want Quinn to date a jerk.” 

Dustin nodded solemnly. “Just what can we do about it?” 

Nevel stood up and walked around, scratching his head on and off. “We have to hack into the computer.” 

Dustin looked consternated. _That did not sound right._ But did Dustin want to feel good about it or save his favourite elder sister from having to date a jerk? _There was no better alternative._

###  1:9:3  Hackers

Nevel plugged his laptop and opened it. 

Dustin still felt some remorses. But he had to assist Nevel. The situation appeared urgent. Dustin had noticed Chase Matthews stalk Zoey in order to sneak her answers. 

Many boys had probably done something like that. 

Nevel raced his fingers across the keyboard. “There’s the firewall ... oops, a password.” He panted. “Lame! Like most idiots, the password is simply _password_.” 

Dustin gasped. 

Nevel’s eyes bugged out. 

Dustin did not know the reason. 

Nevel explained, “the school computer runs off **Quinndoze QP** ”1:62

Quinn Pensky had invented this system. 

Only a few people could really use it. 

Nevel was one of them. He shook his head. “The system administrator is such an idiot. He is going to rue the day for using Quinn’s great invention in such a shamefully incompetent manner. He will so rue it, until the days of dystopia!” He clenched his fists. 

Dustin shuddered. 

Finally, the page was getting filled with a long list of assignments for the school dance. Dustin and Nevel looked at all the names. 

Nevel wondered, “who are all those girls? I haven’t seen them in the school registry.” 

Dustin explained, “those must be girls from neighbouring schools.” 

Nevel moaned, “ah, Ok, those used in order to balance the gender disparity here at Pacific Coast Academy.” 

Dustin sighed. “Or you can say it this way.” 

They actually knew a few of the guest girls’ names from their sectionals. 

Dustin was consternated when seeing Zoey’s partner. “ **Glen Davis**?” He panted heavily. “That’s so sick! Glen is a terrible jerk!” 

There was a surprise: Zoey was assigned twice. Her other partner was Chase Matthews. 

Dustin growled, “Chase may be usually a nice guy. But stalking Zoey may not be forgiven.” 

Nevel nodded solemnly. “Quinn has not been assigned at all. What’s that? Is there anything wrong with her? I will totally curse all those ruthless bastards thinking so! Until the age of dystopia will they rue it!” 

Dustin’s eye was caught by Miachael Barret’s dance partner. “ **Olivary Biallo**. Is that even a name?” 

Nevel shook his head. “There’s something fishy.” He clicked on _More Info_. 

The rooster appeared. 

“It’s a boy!” squealed Dustin. 

Nevel gasped. “I think ... I might even know him!” 

Dustin looked puzzled at his roomie. 

Nevel panted vigorously. “OK, I know him as **Jerry Crony**.1:63 A few weeks ago, I was at James K. Polk in order to prepare for a concert with the **Obo twins**.”1:64

Dustin wondered, “oboe twins?” 

Nevel explained, “two twin sisters both playing the oboe. Megan is more exciting, though.” He blushed and could have slapped himself for having admitted to Megan. 

Dustin looked at him. “Come on, you do like Megan!” 

Nevel stammered, “Maybe?” But they had got a task to perform and could not discuss Megan parker. Nevel explained, “I strolled a bit and walked to their textile creation room, looking for rare threads, needles, you know.” 

Dustin moaned, “haberdashery!” 

Neve grinned. “You do know it, indeed. Well, there was one boy, his name is Jerome Crony. Without being asked, he denied categorically being a member of the sewing club.” 

Dustin choked. “So he probably is in the sewing club.” 

Nevel nodded. “I’m totally sure. At least he knew where to look for the things of my interest. Their short ware storage is well assorted, by the way.” Nevel beamed proudly. 

They concluded, “Olivary Biallo is really a boy from James K. Polk with a girly hobby.” 

Nevel conjectured, “he must be too ashamed to admitting to his girly hobby. But this has not prevented him from registering here as a girl, albeit using a fake name.” 

Dustin explained, “only girls from other schools are allowed to this Pacific Coast Academy middle school dance.” 

Nevel nodded. 

Dustin continued, “I’d rather see Olivary Biallo as Zoey’s partner at the dance than Glen Davis or Chase Matthews. Too bad he is in the girls’ list.” 

Nevel grinned. “Figured ...” He fumbled with Zoey’s data. “OK, Dustin, welcome your elder brother, Zosimus!” 

Dustin choked mercilessly. 

Now they had to deal with Quinn’s problem. 

Nevel grinned. “OK, a few buttons here and there ...” 

###  1:9:4  Morning After

The school dance had been a plain success. 

The next morning, kids in the cafeteria appeared in a strange mood. 

Logan Reese had been assigned to Dana Cruz. 

She had stompeed on his feet instead of kissing him. 

Nicole Bristow had been dancing with bimbo lad **Nicholas Webber**. 

They went onto each other’s nerves. 

Nicole was disappointed. 

But Nevel concluded, “they are made for each others. They just don’t want to realise it. But with a few tricks, we will patch that.” 

Dustin gasped. “That would be cool! It’s like forcing Nicole to face her living mirror image.” 

Dustin and Nevel hi-fived. 

Michael had been condemned to date both of the Obo Twins. He couldn’t tell them apart. 

The two of them took regularly turns in dancing with Michael. 

The poor fellow got thoroughly confused. 

Chase Matthews had been forced to date one **Claire Sawyer** ,1:65 a future lawyer from James K. Polk. He got talked into filing a lawsuit against the organisers of the party for all the bloopers. 

Glen Davis had to date guest girl Lola Martinez from Palmwood, thus a professional actress. He ended up getting his earlobe bit bleeding.1:66

Of course, Dustin and Nevel were particularly interested in hearing about Quinn’s and Zoey’s dance night. 

Quinn had been assigned to no other than Wayne Gilbert alias Fire Wire. 

Nevel’s idea must have been that of getting Wayne to relax the ban of girls from the science club. 

Quinn had been little amused. 

So far, the plan seemed to have failed. Nevel better took cover. 

Dustin sighed deeply. “One day, Quinn will rule the science club, especially with Mindy’s help.” 

Nevel hoped so. 

Indeed, Wayne had started turning interested in Quinn’s and Mindy’s research and just been too proud to admit to it. This was probably subject to change, sooner or later. 

Zoey had at first glance been annoyed. But she had come along fairly well with Olivary Biallo alias Jerome Crony. 

The textile freak had been a member of a bully gang in order to hide his true inclination from the public. But he could not uphold this mask forever. He was looking for a new school. Thus he had been enrolling as a girl for the dance. 

Zoey did not care. She would help Jerome to stand up for his real hobby. It would be hard work, but not necessarily doomed to failure. 

Dustin and Nevel were glad about that turn. But they were feeling having been leaning too far out of the window, just as good old King Solomon when using demons for the construction of the temple at Jerusalem. 

* * *

1:1
    covers _Zoey 101_ : _Pilot_
1:2
     from _The iCarly Show_
1:3
     cf. _Zoey 101_ : _Quinn_ _’_ _s Alpaca_
1:4
     cf. _Hamlet_ by W. Shakespeare! 
1:5
     from _Zoey 101_
1:6
     continues _Zoey 101_ : _Pilot_
1:7
     from _Zoey 101_ : _Spring Breakup_ and _Logan Gets Cut Off_
1:8
     continues _Zoey 101_ : _Pilot_
1:9
     covers _Zoey 101_ : _New Roomies_
1:10
     cf. _Zoey 101_ : _Zoey_ _’_ _s Balloon_! 
1:11
     continues _Zoey 101_ : _New Roomies_
1:12
     covers _Zoey 101_ : _Defending Dustin_
1:13
     cf. _The iCarly Show_ : _iRue The Day_ and _iGive Away A Car_! 
1:14
     cf. _Zoey 101_ : _Lola Likes Chase_ and _Quinn_ _’_ _s Alpaca_! 
1:15
     from _The iCarly Show_ : _iTwins_
1:16
     from _The iCarly Show_
1:17
     from _The iCarly Show_
1:18
     cf. _The iCarly Show_ : _iGive Away A Car_! 
1:19
     continues _Zoey 101_ : _Defending Dustin_
1:20
     from _Zoey 101_ , esp. _Robot Wars_
1:21
     continues _Zoey 101_ : _Defending Dustin_
1:22
     from _Zoey 101_
1:23
     cf. _Zoey 101_ : _People Auction_! 
1:24
     cf. _The iCarly Show_ : _iWant My Website Back_
1:25
     cf. _The iCarly Show_ : _iNevel_
1:26
     covers _Zoey 101_ : _Webcam_
1:27
     cf. _Drake & Josh_: _Battle Of Pathantar_ and _The iCarly Show_ : _iCook_! 
1:28
     third-party owned graphic novel, cf. also _Zoey 101_ : _Favor Chain_! 
1:29
     covers _Zoey 101_ : _Prank Week_
1:30
     from _Ned_ _’_ _s Declassified School Survival Guide_
1:31
     from _Big Time Rush_ , esp. _Big Time Pranks_ for the concept of a _junior medic_
1:32
     cf. _Zoey 101_ : _The Great Vince Blake_ and _Coffee Cart Ban_! 
1:33
     covers _Zoey 101_ : _The Play_
1:34
     from _Victorious_
1:35
     from _Zoey 101_ , season 2 and above 
1:36
    from _Drake & Josh_: _Little Diva_
1:37
     from _Zoey 101_ : _Defending Dustin_ et alibi 
1:38
     from _Big Time Rush_
1:39
     from _Victorious_
1:40
     covers _Zoey 101_ : _A Date For Quinn_
1:41
     surname from the actress’s part in some third-party owned work 
1:42
    covers _Zoey 101_ : _Spring Fling_
1:43
     from _Drake & Josh_, identified with Drake Bell 
1:44
    cf. _Drake & Josh_: _The Guitar_! 
1:45
     from _Book Of Henoch_
1:46
     from _Drake & Josh_
1:47
    identified with the actor’s part in _The iCarly Show_ : _iPromote Techfoots_
1:48
     from _Drake & Josh_: _Number One Fan_ , with a surname taken from the actress’s part in third-party owned _Camp Rock_ , and identified with an unportrayed Wendy from _Zoey 101_ : _Lola Likes Chase_
1:49
     song by Drake Bell and his crew 
1:50
    from _Drake & Josh_
1:51
    covers _Zoey 101_ : _Backpack_
1:52
     from _Drake & Josh_
1:53
    from _Drake & Josh_
1:54
    cf. _Drake & Josh_: _Honor Council_
1:55
     in several scenes of _Drake & Josh_, by Drake 
1:56
    cf. _Testimony Of Truth_ from the Nag Hammadi Library 
1:57
     from _Ned_ _’_ _s Declassified School Survival Guide_
1:58
     from _True Jackson VP_
1:59
     covers _Zoey 101_ : _School Dance_
1:60
     from _Big Time Rush_ : _Big Time Break_ , also Northridge from _Victorious_
1:61
     from _Just Jordan_
1:62
     system mentioned in _Zoey 101_ : _Favor Chain_
1:63
     from _Ned_ _’_ _s Declassified School Survival Guide_
1:64
     from _Ned_ _’_ _s Declassified School Survival Guide_
1:65
     from _Ned_ _’_ _s Declassified School Survival Guide_
1:66
     cf. _Zoey 101_ : _Rollercoaster_! 


	2. Second Year

#  Chapter 2  Second Year

##  2:1  A New Year

2:1

###  2:1:1  Summer Break

Nevel and Quinn had spent their summer break in Seattle, albeit not together. 

Zoey and Dustin, on the other hand, had made it together to Louisiana, Zoey’s birth place.2:2 They had been wrestling with some panda bears on the Mississippi2:3 — or so Dustin would tell everyone. 

But the golden time of the year was over way too fast. The red hot Californian sun was still burning mercilessly up the barren slopes of the southern sierras. 

Dustin was first stumbling into Logan. 

The jerk had got a job to offer. 

And Dustin needed some bucks. He was now supposed to carry Logan’s luggage. And these were not just Logan’s clothes and books. 

Quite the contrary, Logan had bought a terribly expensive entertainment station. 

There was some surprise: Dana was no longer a student at Pacific Coast Academy. She had gone to some boarding school in France as a voluntary exchanger — or so was the official version. 

But, really, Zoey had managed to get her taken off Pacific Coast Academy and transferred abroad, as a punishment for always bullying Dustin behind her back. 

Dana Cruz would never have gone abroad on a voluntary base. She hated learning foreign languages and was way too lazy for doing so. “If some freak needs to talk to me, he has to learn my language first.” 

Dustin was not aware of Zoey’s authorship behind Dana’s transfer. He did not like getting patronised by his elder sister. 

Thus the blond Mary Sue had been forced to keep it a sternly guarded secret. 

Nicole loved the absence of bully Dana. But she feared an even worse replacement. 

Zoey and Nicole thus had to try to talk the boarding management into assigning a student of their choice as their new roomie. 

Quinn wanted to keep her single room. But she would establish a two-way television system connecting her own dorm to that of Zoey and Nicole, viz. **101 Brenner Hall**. 

###  2:1:2  Lola Martinez

Unfortunately, Nicole had messed it up badly. Due to her excessively low attention span, she had destroyed the precious collection of cologne flasks of **Ms. Burvich** , the responsible boarding manager. 

Along with lots of glass, Zoey’s and Nicole’s hopes of a decent room mate had thusly burst into smithereens. 

Much to their surprise, they were now facing a vaguely familiar face. It was Lola Martinez, the guest from last year’s middle school dance. But Nicole and Zoey had not had too much contact with Lola during that night. 

Lola tried to use her situation in order to prove her acting prowess by pretending to be something she wasn’t at all in her real life. This identity was a really scary one. First, Lola pretended to have been expelled from her former school for pushing a teacher down the staircase. 

Nicole Bristow started shivering all over. She did not want to end up exactly like Lola’s former teacher. 

Furthermore, Lola was dressed in the likeness of a goth girl. That was even more horrible. Little later, Lola started performimng strange rituals. “I’m talking to the dead!” This gave Zoey and Nicole the total creeps. 

They had to run away in panic. It was impossible for them to spend night after night with a goth medium. 

###  2:1:3  Zoey’s Plan

Zoey had got an equally scary idea. “Nevel Papperman often talks about the world of the death and stuff. Maybe he can talk some sense into Lola?” 

Nicole moaned. “Nevel is not cute at all!” 

Zoey sighed deeply. “Yeah, I know, but he might calm Lola down.” 

Nicole did not understand that. “I want Dana back! She was never talking to the dead!” 

Having caused Dana’s departure from Pacific Coast Academy, Zoey fainted. But she decided to go through it on her own. “In any case, Coco has got a few tents in her foyer. We may borrow some.” 

Coco Wexler used to conduct camping trips with students.2:4

Nicole beamed, “yeah! maybe we encounter some cute boys on a camping trip.” 

Zoey shook her head. “We can’t stay with Lola. But we have to stay somewhere. Tents are some place to stay over night, here on the campus!” 

Nicole sighed. “If you think so. But I’d rather ask some cute boy to let me stay with him in his dormitory room over night. Do you know what I like most about Pacific Coast Academy? The cute boys, the beach, cute boys, the pools, have I already mentioned the cute boys?” 

Zoey moaned deeply. She picked up her cellular phone in order to call Nevel. At the same time, she sent Nicole to Coco, asking her for the tents. 

###  2:1:4  The Charlatan

Nevel snuck into Brenner Hall. 

It was already past curfew. But it was the first day. The dorm adviser were not able to control everything. 

Coco was distracted by Nicole, anyways, as a nice side effect of Zoey’s mission. 

Quinn was not in her dormitory room. She was hanging out at Sushi Rox or in her secret laboratory. 

Lola noticed someone approaching. She started burning frankincense and talking to the dead. 

Nevel observed the situation. But he noticed a few things smelling more fishy than the trash bin of Sushi Rox. 

Lola’s voice was fake and totally unsuited for a solemn conjuration of the dead. She used wrong magic symbols. The formulæ uttered carelessly by Lola, without proper emphasis and rhythm, made no intelligible sense. 

Nevel concluded correctly: 

Lola is not a goth girl, and she is certainly not able to communicate with the dead. 

Nevel was not completely surprised. He had read Lola’s application for the middle school dance. It contained no remote hint towards necromancy and spiritism. Rather, Lola had boasted with her ambition of becoming a famous actress. And this made a whole lot more sense. Lola must have deliberately acted as a goth girl in order to fool Zoey and Nicole. She may have practised this stuff for mere curiosity. But the acting practice was the more likely explanation. 

Camille had often committed similar frauds. 

But this was not just acting as something usual. Rather, Lola was playing with hell fire, and she was very likely to get herself and her fellow students burnt badly. The communication with the dead is not to be left to spazzes and curious creeps. It definitely belonged into the hands of those knowing what to do. 

And Lola Martinez was impossibly among the latter. She was mocking the spirits of the dead, especially the unclean spirits roaming the world of Pacific Coast Academy, as determined during Nevel’s first year at this school. 

Unfortunately, Nevel had not yet come to a closer conclusion corncerning the nature of the demonic possession holding the campus of Pacific Coast Academy ball and chain. He had just been speculating. This made it impossible for him to estimate the consequences of Lola’s reckless blasphemia. But havoc was possible. Nevel had to hurry up in order to be able to warn everyone. 

Lola was hardly able to understand the consequences of her mockery of the spirits. 

Nevel needed to start elsewhere. But time would eventually run out on him. _Was life at Pacific Coast Academy doomed?_

###  2:1:5  Return To 101

Zoey and Nicole were now back to their dorm. 

Coco had already lent the only available tents unto Chase and Michael. 

Logan’s new entertainment system was making a horrible noise, making it unable for them to fall sleep. 

Zoey did not yet believe in Nevel’s warnings. But she was terribly upset by Lola’s demeanour of scaring her room mates. 

Lola felt sincerely sorry for that. “Won’t happen again!” 

Nicole and Zoey accepted Lola’s pardon. 

But Lola’s acting practice would keep on wreaking more and more havoc in one sense or the other. 

At the same time, all lights went down on the campus. 

Zoey told Lola, “no ghost stuff, I told you!” 

Alas, it wasn’t Lola, at least not directly. 

Logan’s overused entertainment station had made the power supplies collapse. 

Dustin had been so close to making the high score of his favourite video game. 

Or maybe this was part of the curse? Time would tell. 

##  2:2  Halloween

2:5

###  2:2:1  The Haunted Mansion

Traditionally, the high school freshmen at Pacific Coast Academy were preparing a mansion of horror for the annual Halloween party, especially for the elementary school kids. This included Dustin and Nevel. 

The leader of the horror team was Logan Reese due to his excessive amount of bucks. He promised to make the kids cringe for brute terror. 

Nevel Papperman did not like the concept of Halloween parties. He knew a lot about the original meaning of this day of the year. 

The portals between reality and the other world were particularly sensitive at this time of the year. It meant the last vain and hopeless struggle of life against the overwhelming power of death in nature. After all, this was a very serious topic. Making fun of it would provoke the unclean spirits inhabitating the campus of Pacific Coast Academy even more. 

Especially Nevel sensed something evil in the air. He tried hard to make Dustin refrain from participating in the celebrations. 

###  2:2:2  Visitors From France

Nevel strolled the campus. He spotted Zoey and her friends sitting in the garden for lunch. 

Logan scared his — falsely so-called — friends with fake blood. 

Nevel was disgusted by this provocation. 

But now two strangers around forty came walking along. They were speaking French. 

Nevel remembered Zoey having tutored Quinn and others in this language. But, all of a sudden, Zoey appeared to be unable to understand the visitors. According to Nevel, this was very suspicious. _Zoey may impossibly have unlearned French so much during the summer break._

Beverly, the secretary of Dean Rivers, introduced the strangers. 

**Monique Chaumont** and her husband **André Chaumont** were teachers or otherwise responsible adults at some boarding school in France. They were on a tour through the United States in order to learn more about the proper administration of an elitary prep school of international renown. Today, they were the guests of Dean Rivers. 

Malcolm Reese had been paying for their expensive trip to California. 

Dean Rivers thus expected the kids to be cooperative, at least not to scare Monique and André. 

###  2:2:3  Suspicious Moment

Nevel caught Dustin in the dormitory room. “Dustin, I’ve made some discovery!” 

Dustin was excited. “A treasure chest? Where?” 

Nevel sighed and lowered his head. “Those foreign visitors on the campus ...” 

Dustin had noticed them as well. But he had not really cared. 

Nevel panted heavuily. “I checked it. Dana has gone to a French school.” 

Dustin nodded solemnly. 

Nevel continued, “The Chaumonts, those strange guys, are teaching at a school in France. I checked it on the interweb. It’s the same school as Dana’s!” 

Dustin shivered. “They have abducted Dana, and now they are out for us and other kids at Pacific Coast Academy?” 

Nevel had not even considered this possibility. But maybe it was not really an absurd one. However, Nevel needed to complete his observation. He panted and mentioned Zoey’s apparent loss of her knowledge of French. 

Dustin scratched his head. “The visitors have stolen Zoey’s knowledge of French?” 

Nevel shoock his head. “Zoey must know them. And she does not want to get associated with the Chaumonts.” 

Dustin just looked totally puzzled. 

Nevel concluded, “Zoey is responsible for Dana’s transfer to France!” 

Dustin was consternated. “But they were friends! Why would Zoey do that?” 

Nevel had to shrug cluelessly. “Friends can be so hypocritical. Zoey must have had her reasons. We have to find them.” 

###  2:2:4  House of Horror

####  2:2:4:1  Entrance Of The Mansion

Nevel knew about Logan being a fraudulent fool. He just participated in the walk through the haunted mansion in order to control the situation better. Unlike everyone elsem, he wore his usual linen suit. 

Chase Bartholomew Matthews was dressed as a sorcerer. But he thought to be a vampire. 

Too bad, nobody wanted to believe him this deceit. 

For Nevel, this was another thorn in the heel. _Making fun of vampires was something completely inappropriate, especially on Halloween._

Dustin wondered, “why is Lola not here?” 

Zoey remarked, “she’s probably shooting a new movie in town.” 

Dustin sighed. “Just like Ashley.” 

Zoey nodded. 

Dustin’s popularity among his fellow fifth graders had increased due to his close familiarity with Lola Martinez. Being the little brother of Lola’s roomie, Dustin had got a fairly easy access to Lola’s dormitory room and her private accessories. He used to take pictures of them with his digital camera and show them to his class mates.2:6

Zoey was dressed as Marilyn Monroe, one of Lola’s examples to live up to. 

Nicole was not here in the mansion, but she was surely on the campus, dressed as Dorothy from _Wizard Of Oz_2:7

Zoey supposed, “she must be hunting after a cute boy, probably **Tim Jensen**.2:8. She has been hankering after him for quite a few weeks.” 

Dustin sighed. “Poor Tim!” 

Zoey added, “he’s dressed like a mummy, you know, Egypt, pyramids, dead pharaos ...” 

Dustin shuddered. 

Nevel was little pleased by this lighthearted mockery of death and decay. _Any existing curse would be reinforced. Everone here, lest repenting in time, would be doomed. This would not be evident today, or tomorrow, but some day when least expected_ _..._

The same was valid for Michael’s disguise as a zombie. He was out on the campus, watching out for a delivery van. 

Quinn was dressed as Albert Einstein, also out on the campus. 

####  2:2:4:2  The Heart Of The Mansion

Logan and the kids had made it alive across a part of the mansion known as the tunnels of terror. 

Suddenly, one of the kids was missing. 

Logan had hitherto treating everyone in the mansion like dirt, both the young kids and his helpers. But now he started shivering. 

Zoey accused him of being the culprit. 

Logan swore to be innocent. 

Nevel gerowled, “hey! The missing boy is hiding in here!” He opened a chest. 

Formerly missing **Jack** showed up and looked puzzled. 

Zoey grunted, “Nevel! Did you have to spoil it?” 

The whole mess had turned out as an attempt of making Logan scream for utter despair, as a punishment for his own arrogance. 

Now she was bitterly disappointed. 

####  2:2:4:3  Near The Exit

The kids reached the last room of the haunted house. Suddenly, a coprse appeared on the floor. 

The breath of most of the visitors of the spook house froze to ice. Many hearts stopped beating. 

The floor was red from blood oozing from the corpse. 

Dustin screamed like a little baby and jumped into Zoey. “Zoey! She’s dead!” 

Zoey’s eyes bugged out. She had never seen such a dead corpse. 

Dustin almost died for fear. 

Logan grinned. Then he turned the lights on. 

The corpse started moving. A wig was dropped. Lola appeared. “Oops! Have I scared any of you?” 

Most kids were still all pale in their face. 

Nevel sniffled the blood. “Smells like strawberry sirup!” 

Lola licked her fake wounds. “Yummy!” 

Logan sighed. “OK, Lola, that was perfect! You get the rôle in my dad’s next horror movie, _The Night Of The Dead_.” 

Lola cheered and bounced around. 

Finally, the other kids started overcoming their shock. 

Nevel was of course by no means pleased by this mockery of death. “The measure of sins is almost full.” 

###  2:2:5  Out On The Campus

Michael Barret had not been getting away with this. 

Monique and André had mistaken him for a wounded guy and abducted him into the infirmary. He was now suffering endless pains from syringes with very long needles. 

Nicole had been following Tim the mummy all over the campus, and finally cornered him and tortured him mercilessly with her lips. But she was later distracted by some other cute guy passing by. 

This saved Tim’s life. 

But Tim’s and Michael’s pains would probably be nothing compared to the impending dystopia, given any truth behind Nevil’s darkest visions. 

Due to the virtues of Halloween, Nevel had finally found out more about the curse. “It is the curse of Consuela!2:9 Repent and recede! Or else ...” 

Most kids did not want to believe him. Consuela’s evil revenge was commonly thoroughly mistaken as a modern popular superstition. 

Thus Nevel had to convince them of the contrary. 

##  2:3  Trisha Kirby

2:10

###  2:3:1  Chemistry

Teacher **Mr. Gangrel** had gathered his lab class for science. 

Dustin and Jack were busy with preparing their experiments. 

Dustin was exorbitantly careful. He stuck strictly to the laboratory rules. 

Those guidelines had not been established for fun. They served the purpose of safety in the laboratories. 

But there was one student not caring the least bit about safety. It was **Samantha Puckett**2:11 from Seattle. She was enrolled here under a fake name, **Trisha Kirby**. She was from an extremely criminal family. 

The state of Washington had sent her, just like her aforementioned monozygotic twin sister Melanie, to a boarding school here in California in a desperate attempt of separatig her from the excessively evil influence of her perverted relatives. In the case of Melanie, the whole action apeared to have been successful. 

But Samantha alias Trisha was a totally different case. This was especially evident here in the laboratory. She was utterly interested in getting everything to explode or develop some incredible stench. 

Her neighbour **Henry** was overburdened by her horrific character. 

Mr. Gangrel was annoyed. “OK, we need to rearrange you. Henry, go to Jack! Dustin, go to Trisha!” He hoped Dustin, the most responsible of all elementary school kids, to be able to contain Trsiha’s folly. 

Dustin sighed and left his work place. 

Henry followed the orders as well. 

Alas, this did not stop Trisha. The bad girl continued fumbling with overdoses of evil chemicals. 

Dustin was not pleased. He reminded Trisha of the perils. 

Trisha grinned. “Hey, I like it seeing things blow up. It is so much fun!” 

Dustin shivered. 

Trisha glared at him in a seductive manner. 

Nevel noticed what was going on. He was by absolutely no means pleased. He had already figured Samantha Puckett alias Trisha Kirby as the first born of Satan. And now there was no doubt about it. 

Things went on and on between Dustin and Trisha. 

But Nevel could not watch them. 

Trisha wrote her phone number onto Dustin’s arm, with giant letters. 

This could not mean anything good. 

###  2:3:2  Denouncing

Nevel had been feeling so close to puking. He had grabbed a pass for the toilets. Now he emptied his stomach. Trisha’s perversity was so giving him the creeps. He grabbed his cellular phone and started typng the digits of Zoey’s number. 

Zoey had got a free period because of the absence of Mr. Toplin,2:12 her teacher for history. She picked her cellular phone up. “Zoey Brooks, hello ...” 

Nevel coughed and choked. “Zoey ...” 

Zoey startled. “Nevel? Are you Ok? You sound like ...” 

Nevel stammered, “sorry for this. But it’s so ... Dustin is about dating the loosest girl of the school.” He almost passed out. 

Zoey sighed. “Nevel, this sounds no good! See me during the big recess at the fountain!” 

Nevel croaked, “OK!” before cringing and staggering over and over again. 

###  2:3:3  Zoey’s Dismay

Nevel, still out of breath, told Zoey about the events during chemistry classes. 

Zoey sighed deepoly. “So, who exactly is that loose bitch?” 

Nevel replied, “Trisha Kirby!” 

Zoey went totally pale in her face. “She’s two years older than Dustin and has already made out with many boys.” 

Nevel nodded for dismay. 

Zoey was consternated. “What exactly are they doing?” 

Nevel shrugged. 

Zoey could not leave it at that. “It’s so hard to talk sense into Dustin in such an occasion.” 

Nevel could imagine that. 

Zoey asked, “can’t you put some curse on Trisha?” 

Nevel twitched. “She’s Satan incarnate. It would not work.” 

Zoey did not share Nevel’s view about demons and so on. But she imagined Nevel to be overburdened with the task of dealing with someone as mean and disgusting as Trisha Kirby. 

Nevel sighed. “I might know someone able to do something about it.” 

###  2:3:4  The Skunk

A few hours later, Nevel had tried to talk to Quinn about the whole trouble. he needed her advice about the exact danger of the chemicals abused by Sam. 

But Quinn was busy with her own chemical experiments. “Oops! It almost blew up!” 

Nevel sighed. 

Quinn explained, “Michael and Logan have been too dumb to tell a skunk from a kitten.” 

Nevel asked, “which skunk? Samantha Puckett?” 

Quinn cackled. “That was a good one! It reminds me ... next week I have to remove some ugly abscesses from the rear of Ms. Puckett.” 

Nevel had to puke again. 

Quinn sighed. “Sorry! I’m talking about a real skunk. Now Logan and Michael stink like crap, all over.” She took some other chemical and poured it into the mix. “May you believe it? Those jerks belive in drinking tomato juice as a remedy against the skunk stench. But you need to rub it into your skin.” She shook her head for disbelief. 

Nevel gasped, “Quinn, this is not the deodorant, it is the resolver for synthetic fibres.” 

But Quinn was too busy. 

But this gave Nevel an idea. He snuck to the desk and grabbed part of the resolver. 

###  2:3:5  Mischievous plot

Nevel had filled some of the strange essence into a little squirting flask. He rendered the device unto Zoey. “Here it is!” 

Zoey wondered, “what is it?” 

Nevel explained, “this can contains a resolver for fibres like polyesther, polyacrylics, polyamide, and so on. All those polymeric fibres are often found in modern clothes.” 

Zoey shrugged. “If you say so ... I actually hate chemistry.” 

Nevel snickered. “Maybe. But if you spray it at Trisha, her clothes are likely to dissolve!” 

Zoey sighed. “That sounds really mean.” She croaked, “but it’s exactly what a skunkbag like Trisha Kirby deserves! Thank you a lot!” She tucked the flask safely away. “I’ll sneak into her lounge and ... wait, the ugly toad should do it herself. Have you got a marker pen?” 

Nevel nodded. He picked one from his pockets and rendered it unto Zoey. 

Zoey smiled. She wrote across the flask, “Eau de Cologne”. She picked up her cellular phone and dialed Lola’s number. 

###  2:3:6  The Tattoo

Lola Martinez had found Trisha alias Samantha, and given her the flask. “Oh, boys like Dustin Brooks like the smell of this. Some actresses use it in order to facilitate making out in front of the cam. It works with deadly reliability!” 

Vain Samantha Puckett believed it wholesale. 

Unfortunately, although having been informed in advance by Zoey, Lola had started to believe it, too. But she did not need it for the time being. 

And Trisha had rubbed herself over and over again with the resolver. 

Zoey had added some of her own fragrance, making Lola’s story believable. 

Sam was now in her lounge. She had not noticed the progressing effect of her supposed fragrance. 

Suddenly, Trisha’s roomie, Stephenie King2:13 was horrified. She saw her roomie topless. Then she squealed at the top of her lungs, “Trisha has got a tattoo of a boy on one of her ...” She keeled over and passed out. 

Other girls were really consternated. The message would spread like wildfire. 

Dustin would hear about this and trash Samantha for having a tattoo of a boy other than himself. 

The boy depicted on Trisha’s sensitive spot, by the way, was Fredward Benson, the — falsely so=called — nice boy next door of her — e3qually mislabelled — best friend forever, Carly Shay.2:14

Sam’s cousin Annie Patillo,2:15 currently in prison, was a tattoo artist. 

Trisha alias Samantha would never want to admit to him, though. 

Freddie ignored her and had only got eyes for Carly. It was an apparently hopeless crush. 

Sam had got a hard time trying to get over it. Bear with it! 

Quinn was now warned and could prevent Logan and Michael from going Sam’s way. 

Zoey and Nevel were glad about getting rid of Samantha Puckett. 

But what would Dustin do? 

##  2:4  Werelogan

2:16

###  2:4:1  The Infirmary

Unfortunately, germs of diseases could not always be kept away from the campus of Pacific Coast Academy. And the usual kids’s diseases used to spread like wildfire on acampus hosting over thousand kids within a few residence halls. 

Not even Quinn Pensky had yet been able to invent a means against those. This time, an epidemia of chicken pox had struck hard. 

Dustin and Nevel fell prey to them. 

The infirmary was full of sick kids. 

Fortunately, Dustin and Nevel were not subject to the evil nurse. 

**Nurse Shannon** , the girlfriend of aforementioned Doc Hollywood, was now responsible for the elementary school kids. 

Dustin even feigned to be more sick than necessary in order to be allowed to stay in the infirmary for a few days. 

Zoey had already been subjected to that disease back at home. She was now safe and could viisit Dustin any time in his cell in the infirmary. 

###  2:4:2  Roof Tops

Nevel, on the other hand, was lucky to leave the germ-infested hell as soon as possible. He visited his half-sister in her lounge. 

Quinn was happy to see her half-brother again. 

But all the freshmen girls, inclusing Quinn, were now facing a different problem. They had liked to relax on the top of the roof of the boys’ dormitory hall. 

The girls’ dormitory hall had — obviously — got a roof , too. But the roof top was very dirty and shadowy. An old Californian oak both blocked out the sunlight and gave shelter to squirrels polluting the roo with their excrements. 

Alas, the freshmen boys had denied them this privillege. It was the boys’ roof. Thus the boys were in charge with deciding about giving permissions to the girls. And they had decided to deny their access. There was nothing to do about it. Their explanations were fishy. According to Logan Reese, the spokesman of the evil boys, boys needed a place for being themselves. “That’s biology!” Of course he was a perverted charlatan without any understanding of biology. 

Zoey had got an idea. “We should prove the contrary unto the boys.” 

Nicole squealed. “Yeah! I knew it! It is so obvuous! What does it mean?” 

Zoey explained, “one of us should sneak into the boys’ world and live with them, as a boy. The guys won’t notice it for some time and then proof themselves wrong about their biology crap.” 

Nicole nodded rigorously. “Exactly! That would have been my idea, too! Oops! What to do with those four problems?”She pointed at various treacherous body parts. 

Lola grinned. “Acting! It’s a part of us actress’s training to perform in boys’ rôles, and vice versa. Your costume supply is very good. I think it will do.” 

Zoey smiled. “That’s perfect!” 

Quinn suggested, “I could make a fake permit from Dean Rivers, allowing Lola to stay in the boys’ dorm for a few days. I will hide a micro chip in Lola’s outfit, allowing us to watch everything.” 

But there was still one problem left: They needed to send one boy away for that time. But the boys were all aware of the evil nurrse. 

At Halloween, Michael had already discovered the brute truth: Shannon was only competent for the elementary school kids. 

Nevel had got another objection. “Of course the boys don’t care about biology. They don’t want us there for another reason:” He panted, making the girls’ suspense increase rapidly. “ At night time, they perform black rituals on top of their roofs. And they don’t want you girls as witnesses!” 

Zoey gasped. “Nevel! Your fantasy is now really going too far!” 

Nevel shook his head. “No way! You can’t trust Logan.” 

Zoey sighed. “Too true!” 

Quinn did not want to believe her half brother. But she had to ease her own mind by checking out on that possibility. Her invention providing improved night vision would be very convenient for that task. 

The girls decided to take turns and watch the boys’ roof top during the following nights. 

###  2:4:3  Satanic Rituals

Two days later ... Midnight was approaching. 

Zoey Brooks sank underneath her blanket. She had passed the night vision goggles unto Nicole Bristow. Nothing strange had occurred during the last hours. Zoey was relaxed. “Nevel may be such a spaz.” She shook her head and started snorting like a bee swarm. 

Nicole fumbled with the pair of goggles. She held them the wrong way. Only a few minutes later, the device was in a correct position. Nicole pointed it towards the boys’ dormitory hall. She hoped to see some topless cute boys in their dorms. The greatest reward for Nicole would have been that of watching a cute boy taking a shower. But it was too dark for that avail. Suddenly, there was some movement on the roof tops. Nicole’s heart stood still. Her breath froze. 

It was Logan Reese! 

Nicole would have squealed, waking up her room pals. But she was too much overwhelmed by the following scenes. 

Logan cringed in a cultic manner. He appeared howling to the moon. Then something even more breathtaking started to occur in front of Nicole’s goggles. Logan did no longer look like Logan, but like some hairy, furry beast. It was very hard to describe. 

And it was much harder, even impossible, for Nicole to keep her self control. She started squealing and trembling like a fury. 

Lola and Zoey woke up. 

Zoey Brooks turned on the lights. “Nicole? What is going on?” 

Nicole was unable to speek clearly. 

Quinn Pensky from the neighbouring dormitory room had startled, too. She activated a two-way television system connecting the two dormitory rooms. “Hello! What’s going on?” 

Nicole stammered, “a werewolf! Logan Reese ...” 

Zoey grabbed the trembling lass. She held her tightly. “Nicole! You must have dreamed! Come on, go back to bed and calm down.” 

But this was not possible for the bimbo girl. 

Zoey asked Quinn, “have you got a sedative for Nicole? She believes in having seen a werewold!” 

In the meantime, Lola Martinez had grabbed the goggles. 

Quinn sighed deeply. “Sorry! The only thing I copuld do ... I might give her some of the coconut-flavoured somniferic essence2:17 or the soy sauce mix. The former would make her sleep, the latter would make her pass out.” 

Zoey did not approve of either. 

But at the same time, Lola started screaming. 

Zoey gasped. “Lola? What’s going on?” 

Lola stammered, “a monster!” She passed the goggles unto Zoey. 

The blond Mary Sue shrugged and wanted to check it out. “Let’s see ... everything perfectly normal over here, and everything perfectly ... scary up there!” She squealed, wrapping her arms tightly around Lola and Nicole. 

The girls were now totally getting the creeps. 

Quinn told them to calm down. 

A minute later, Lola opened the dormitory door for Quinn, letting her check the situation. 

Quinn grabbed the pair of goggles. “Indeed, a furry beast.” She rattled with her teeth like a snake with its tail. Indeed, Quinn had got a pet snake, but it was not a deadly rattler. 

Nicole swore, “it is Logan!” 

Lola and Zoey shrugged. 

In either case, the monster would have been a danger. 

Quinn called the nearest biological emergency team in order to catch the furry beast. 

Now the girls were waiting. 

But finally, the monster turned back into Logan Reese — even before the arival of the hunters. 

Quinn and the other girls had witnessed an exciting transformation. Too bad, hardly anyone would be likely to believe them. Quinn would have to pay a fine for calling the hunters in vain. 

Their hearts stood almost still. 

Nevel Papperman had not been totally wrong. 

Zoey was particularly concerned about the potential danger of the mutant beast for the younger children, especially, of course, her brother Dustin. She was no longer able to sleep quiet and needed to sniffle at Quinn’s somniferic essence. She already started considering hiring a body guard for her little brother. _But could a body guard put up with a hulk or a werewolf?_

**Hulk** was an awe-striking monster from one of Wayne Gilbert’s favorite graphic novels from Marvel series. 

Nicole would not refrain from talking about it. But the bimbo wench was hardly ever taken serious by most of her fellow students, anyways. 

Nevel, of course, would feel confirmed in his forboding feelings about the evil curse of Consuela. 

##  2:5  War Of Droids

###  2:5:1  Battle Robot League

As aforementioned, Wayne Gilbert alias Fire Wire had refused stubbornly to allow girls to the science club. 

This year, the club had started being involved in the battle robot league. The participating teams were building war remotely controlled robots rigged and ready for destroying those of the opponents. There were some restrictions concerning the size and weight of the obnoxious miniature war machines. But the choice of weapons was up to the participants. 

Wayne Gilbert’s choice was totally lame. There were not even ray weapons and similarly nifty stuff. 

Melinda Crenshaw rightly deemed herself able to do better. 

Quinn was not interested in battling robots. She did not like building harmful things. But she had still been feeling the humiliation of having been rejected by the science club. 

Mindy had thus been able to talk Quinn successfully into joining her efforts. Mindy’s plan involved the construction of a photon cannon. 

Quinn liked that idea. “I need Cal’s help for that.” 

**Cal**2:18 was a student at nearby California Institute For Technology, short: Caltech. He sold hardly available laboratory materials such as uranium and liquid nitrogen to high school kids in the area of Los Angeles. 

Quinn Pensky was one of his most most regular customers, just as expected. 

Mindy agreed on this subject. 

Wayne Gilbert only laughed in an exorbitantly hysterical manner about the girls’ attempts, deeming them nothing but a better joke. They almost feared being the laughingstock of the country for even dealing with the girls. 

They had recently defeated teams like that of Dimsdale2:19 and from a school of arcade freaks in Frisco.2:20

Even the **Rexinator** , a war robot of the team of Hollywood School for the Professional Performance Arts built by one **Robert Shapiro** ,2:21 got squished like a nasty bug by Wayne Gilbert’s unstoppable tank. 

Of course, those were schools without a trace of a genius and full of idiots. 

But this truth did not make Wayne Gilbert from bragging to no end. 

###  2:5:2  The Photon Cannon

Mindy had not got any problems building a hyperbolic photon canon in the first place. 

But the size restriction posed some sort of a problem. 

Fortunately, Quinn had found a need way in order to compress the size of the photon cannon severely. 

The final result was now matchbox sized. 

And then there was the day of truth. 

Nevel stood at the side lines, cheering for Quinn’s matchbox robot. 

Wayne laughed about the miscroscopic robot. “That’s all?” He cackled like an idiot. 

The combat was on. 

Alas, within five seconds, Quinn’s and Mindy’s photon cannon had vaporised Wayne Gilbert’s lame excuse of a robot. 

The boys screamed for agony and scurried around in panic. 

Mindy and Quinn hi fived. 

Nevel and Dustin grinned. “Serves them well!” 

The cannon had not only vaporised Wayne Gilbert’s engine, though. It was powerful enough to burn a hole into the concrete wall of the **colosseum** , i.e. the location of the combat. 

Joe Braxley was called in order to fix that damage. 

Wayne’s stupid thing was beyond repair. 

Mindy walked up to Wayne. “So, what do you now think?” 

Wayne shivered. 

Now Mindy started cackling. “Are we now admitted to your science club?” 

Wayne looked helplessly at his two best pals, **Neil** and **Andrew**. 

Wayne’s friends were totally pale and unable to answer anything. 

Wayne shrugged. “It is best for Pacific Coast Academy ... we resign completely and leave it all up to you girls.” 

Many onlookers clapped fanatrically. 

Mindy shook her head. “Some opponents in the league are much stronger than those weaklings from Dimsdale and Frisco. We need your help, too!” 

Wayne gasped. 

Quinn had not got a really good feeling. “I’m supposed to work with those freaks?” 

Nevel nodded solemnly. “Mindy knows what she does.” 

Quinn sighed deeply. Then she shook hands with Firewire. 

Mindy knew indeed a lot, especially about the next opponents. 

One of them was the team of her old school, viz. Belleview in San Diego county. 

Dustin wanted such a miniature battle droid as a body guard against the night monster. He did not believe in Logan being behind it, but he feared the peril nevertheless. 

###  2:5:3  Old School

The teams of Palmwood and of Bushmond2:22 got incinerated in no time. And now it was time for the legendary combat with one important opponent, viz. Belleview. 

The captain of their squad was one Joshuah Nichols. 

Mindy had always beaten the living hell out of Josh in the local honours roll, until her expulsion from Belleview. 

He was thus particularly motivated. His team was completed by his friends **Craig Ramirez** and **Eric Blonowitz**.2:23

The latter had given its name to their warrior robot: **The Blonowitzer** , apparently an allusion to his name as well as to the word _howitzer_. 

Josh was totally proud of their construct. He started talking about it. Craig and Eric chimed in. They were carelessly giving away valuable hints to the opponents. 

Mindy had seen that coming. “That’s why he is called a _boob_.” She chuckled mercilessly. 

Josh Nichols had also built a photon canon. But he had also thought of a better protection against ray weapons. 

Craig and Eric had developed special force shields. 

The umpire was one **Mr. Sweeney**2:24 from James K. Polk. He counted down. The whitsle was blown. 

The Blonowitzer fired several deadly beams at Mindy’s micro robot. But Josh was too clumsy to aim precisely enough at the little thing. 

Wayne pushed the button. A laser beam shot fort. It got deflected from the force shield. Another laserbeam was deflected, too. It went astray and hit Josh Nichols right between his legs, making him scream like an idiot. 

Mindy grinned. “Great shot!” 

Whimpering for excruciating pain, Josh lost now totally his control over the Blonowitzer. 

Craig and Eric noticed that and wanted to take over the remote controll. But they were not exactly in agreement. They fought over the controlling device. 

Wayne Gilbert used that situation in order to let his matchbox robot sneak up the Blonowitzer from behind and trigger the self destruction mechanism. 

Half a minute later, Craig had obtained exclusive control over the Blonowitzer. 

But now it was too late. 

The mighty robot blew up. 

Quinn, Mindy, and Wayne hi fived. 

Mr. Sweeney counted the knockout sequence. “K.O.! The winner is the team from Pacific Coast Academy!” 

Joshuah Nichols sighed for excruciatingly bitter disappointment. 

Eric, usually a pacifist, growled, “I told you, the whole war robot think has been stinking from the beginning.” 

Josh was an even worse loser. He ran to his step brother Drake and sobbed at his shoulders. 

Mindy panted heavily. “Joshuah Nichols, a year ago, I had even thought to be able to like you, inpite of our permanent dirty bickering. But now you’ve really disappointed me.” She walked away. She hated Drake Parker to the death. She had really hooped to be able to make up with Josh on the occasion of this event, and even more than just that. But she had been totally wrong. And this made her a bit sad. But she better concentrated on the things to come. 

Nevel saw Megan at the sidelines. 

She smirked silently. Then she saw Nevel approach. “Aw, hi!” 

Nevel smiled. “Megan!” He blushed deeply. “Sorry for getting your brother ... step=brother hurt badly.” 

Megan shrugged. “He has deserved it, really. He will learn from it ... or so I hope. But as long as he hangs out with Drake, he will always get his butt fried.” 

Nevel sighed. 

Megan snickered, “but do you know what will really make Drake and Josh go insane?” 

Nevel shook his head. 

Megan grinned. Then she grabbed Nevel and pressed him into her arms for a kiss. 

Nevel blushed even more. 

Drake and Josh went totally pale in their face and passed out, slumping onto the pavement with a thud. 

Craig and Eric had to pick them up. 

Quinn gasped. “Nevel?” But after all, she was glad for him. She better did not waste too much time on thinking about Nevel’s private things. 

The next robot combat was around the corner, the most deadly of all. The final match would make them face the big favourites from James K. Polk. 

But now the kids from Pacific Coast Academy had to return to their campus. 

Dustin Brooks had to support swooning Nevel Papperman in order to keep him from staggering aimlessly. 

##  2:6  Kissing Practice

2:25

###  2:6:1  The Trombone

Quinn was sadly practising with her trombone. 

Dustin and Nevel came along. 

Dustin remarked, “I’ve heard things better, but also things worse than that.” 

Quinn was totally upset. “I’ve been keeping on practising for over a week, and now I get to hear this!” 

Dustin shrugged. “Sorry!” 

Nevel calmed Quinn down. “Hey! Your trombone is totaly mistuned.” Nevel was gifted with an absolute audition. 

Quinn knew this fact very well. “OK, what is wrong with it?” 

Nevel sighed. “I’m not a brass wind expert.” 

Quinn was totally desperate. “I guess we have to play hit and miss, then.” 

Dustin wondered, “what is that supposed to mean?” 

Nevel explained, “Quinn fumbles randomly with the screws and joints of the trombone, and I tell something to the avail of _better_ or _worse_.” 

Dustin sighed. “That may last forever!” He started yawning. 

Quinn grunted, “my performance bores you?” 

Nevel shook his head. “only the tuning does.” 

Quinn moaned, “I need to get it done as fast as possible! Please!” 

Dustin wondered about the urgency. 

Quinn explained, “Samantha Puckett has just challenged me.” 

Nevel grunted, “that rancid toad?” 

Quinn rebuked Nevel. “She may be a boor, but she’s still a lady!” 

Nevel moaned for despair and shuddered for disgust. 

Like Quinn Pensky, Samantha Puckett had learned to play the trombone back in Seattle. She had always hated practising, though. But she loved blowing the trombone straight into the ear of some careless bypassers. 

Quinn had to complain about some other things. “Zoey is so crazed these days. A few days ago, she had told Chase to tutor Lola in biology. But now she is so upset about Chase spending this or that minute with her. That is so stupid.” 

Nevel nodded solemnly. 

Quinn explained, “and you know what is worse? Lola has even obtained Zoey’s permission for dating Chase. And now she is envying Lola for every minute with Chase. Is that logical?” 

Dustin shook his head. “Certainly not! But why would Lola ask for Zoey’s permission?” 

Nevel concluded, “It must be a curse!” 

Quinn glared at her little half brother. “Nevel! Enough with it!” 

Dustin sighed. 

Nevel moaned, “aw, did you really say _Chase and Lola_?” 

Quinn nodded. “Yes, I did, why?” 

Nevel keeled over laughing, 

Dustin wondered, “Nevel?” 

Quinn shook her half-brother. 

Nevel cackled. “Chase and Lola? That must be a joke! Tell me it is a joke?” 

Dustin giggled. “Thinking twice ... it is really funny. Lola is always looking for good kissers. But Chase ...” 

Nevel nodded solemnly. “Only Lola and Mark would be way worse.” 

Quinn sighed. “Bear with it!” 

Dustin concluded for himself, “Lola dating Chase may not be a curse, but it is at least totally tasteless.” 

###  2:6:2  Ashley On The Prowl

As of recent, Ashley Blake had been sneaking a lot around Dustin. That was strange. 

Nevel supposed, “Ashley is a friend of Megan. Maybe she has heard from her about your good qualities.” 

Dustin smiled. “That would be cool!” Dustin was a total fan of the little diva. He had seen all of her movies in the cinema theatre. 

Nevel moaned, “or it could be a curse ... just like Chase and Lola.” 

Dustin sighed deeply. “Can’t I have once in a lifetime some good luck?” 

Nevel shrugged. “Maybe?” 

Dustin looked desperate. He would have asked Logan, the greatest womaniser at Pacific Coast Academy, for advised. But he supposed him to be a zombie or a hulk or something like that. 

Nevel decided to ask Megan. “Maybe she will tell me?” 

Dustin shrugged. “Maybe?” 

###  2:6:3  Megan’s Answer

Nevel had sent a message unto his Megan, asking about Ashley. 

And there was the answer: According to Megan, Ashley was just acting. She was practising for the upcoming auditions of _I Kiss A Dweeb_. Megan would tell Ashley to look for another victim, though. 

Dustin was very disappointed about being deemed a test dweeb. “It was too cool to be true ... rarrr!” He banged his head against the wall. “Those actresses think to fool us any possible way.” 

Nevel suggested, “we have to spy on Lola and Chase! There’s something fishy!” 

Dustin nodded solemnly. 

###  2:6:4  Lola Fools Chase

Dustin and Nevel kept on taking turns spying on Chase and Lola. Now it was Dustin’s hour. 

Lola and Chase were about making out in the girls’ foyer. 

Chase glared dreamily into Lola’s eyes. But his face was also tortured by guilt. 

Dustin wondered, “last year, Chase was totally obsessed with Zoey. And now he shamelessly dates another girl? There is something fishy. It stinks like crap!” But his conviction of Lola just acting grew stronger and stronger. 

Lola sensed something wrong. “This isn’t your thing, right?” 

Chase wondered, “what isn’t?” 

Lola clarified, “the thing between us!” 

Chase had to admit to that. 

Lola asked, “so, who is behind it?” 

Chase looked dumbfounded. 

Lola was talking about his crush. 

Dustin concluded, “it mus be Zoey.” 

Alas, Chase stammered something about a girl from his hometown. 

Dustin did not know anything about that hometown girl. But he wondered, “is Chase really over Zoey, or is he lying? Zoey deserves definitely better than a liar denying her like St. Peter!” He lost his patience and burst forth from his hideout. 

Lola and Chase gasped. “Dustin?” 

Dustin panted heavily. “You will never get Zoey, you cheater!” He stomped and walked away. 

Lola gasped. “What is he talking about?” 

Chase lied. “I really don’t know. Zoey who?” He was such a poor excuse of a liar. 

Lola grunted, “you dirty rascal! You dare to date me while you are into my best friend and room pal? You are such a miserable pervert!” She slapped him across the face. 

Chase whimpered. “What has this cheek ever done to you?” 

Lola pushed him into a corner and walked away. 

###  2:6:5  A Girlfriend For Dustin

The news about that scene spread like wildfire across the campus. 

Zoey was of course really flabbergasted. She had to talk to Dustin in a silent corner. “OK, what was going on? What is that supposed to mean ‘Chase is cheating on me?’” 

Dustin panted heavily and talked about his observations. 

Zoey gasped. “You mean ... Chase has been hankering after me like an idiot for over a year?” 

Dustin nodded solemnly. 

Zoey moaned, “and you’ve never told me?” 

Dustin sighed. “You have never wanted to listen.” 

Zoey sighed deeply. 

The Dustin told Zoey about his observations about actresses abusing boys for acting practice, both in the case of Lola and Ashley. 

Zoey sighed. “That’s Lola! But you should not care about arrogant girls like Ashley, either.” 

Dustin sighed. “Then I will die lonely.” 

Zoey shook her head. “Hey! I’ve found a new girl of your classes, **Alexandra Caterina Baldwin**.2:26 She is very nice. I’ve talked about this with her elder sister, **Tracy Baldwin**.” 

Dustin looked dumbfounded. 

This sounded so arranged — would this go out well? 

###  2:6:6  Droid Champions

Quinn Pensky had finally fixed her poorly tuned trombone, down to Nevel’s absolute audition. 

Dustin and Sandy were now dating on occasions. 

But Nevel did not have a good feeling about it. He had talked to Megan about Sandy Baldwin. 

Sandy had been a student at Megan’s school until the last term break. 

But Quinn had got another reason for being happy. Along with Mindy Crenshaw and Wayne Gilbert, she had won the droid league. 

Their robot had got no problems erasing that of James K. Polk, named the **Worminator** down to one of his inventors, Albert Wormenheimer. 

Also the other members of their team, **Lance Widget** and **Simon Nelson Cooke** ,2:27 had to bow deeply to Quinn and Mindy. 

Mindy growled at Wayne, “so, are girls able to build better robots?” 

Wayne cackled. “You are not a girl! You are ...” 

Mindy grabbed Wayne and pulled him closer. “Kiss me, you dork!” 

Wayne blushed and floundered, but he could not really resist. 

Quinn blew her trombone, playing _Nessun Dorma_ from Giacomo Puccini’s opera _Turandot_. The sound was clear and heart tearing. 

Everyone applauded. 

Mindy whispered, “hey! That was just a start! We still need to practice kissing for a bit.” 

Wayne cackled. 

##  2:7  Spring Breakaway

2:28

###  2:7:1  Another Spring Break

Most of the students of Pacific Coast Academy were already looking forward to the impending spring break, a time to relax after all the very hard exams of the last weeks. 

Zoey Brooks had only got really good marks, though, just as hitherto usual. 

Logan Reese, on the other hand, would not have made it anywhere without heavy and expensive tutoring. But he could afford it, so what? 

Many of the kids had already made more or less interesting plans for the break. 

Zoey, Nicole, and Lola, for example, wanted to go on a camping tour with their dormitory adviser, Coco Wexler, as a “responsible adult”. 

Dustin was supposed to join Zoey. 

But really, Coco Wexler was only an adult in the sense of being old and grumpy. She was definitely not responsible, by no stretch of the word whatsoever. 

In other words, Zoey Brooks would have to take care of everything and of all of her fellow pupils participating in the trip. 

Nevel and Quinn could not return to Seattle, at least not together. They needed to keep their kinship hidden from so many people in Seattle. 

###  2:7:2  Shocking News

Chase came into the girls’ lounge. He was panting heavily. 

The girls figured intuitively something. “Chase? What are you trying to tell us?” 

Chase growled, “important news ...” 

Zoey told Chase to spit it out. 

Chase coughed. 

Lola squealed for suspense. 

Chase stammered, “Logan is going to leave us.” 

Lola croaked, “what?” 

Zoey wondered, “where is he going for spring break?” 

Chase continued, “it’s not just for spring break. He will not return.” 

Zoey gasped. “You mean ... leave us as in ‘ceasing to be a student at Pacific Coast Academy’?” 

Chase nodded slowly. 

Lola, Nicole, and Zoey looked aghast. 

Quinn just shrugged. 

Nicole sighed. “One cute boy less at Pacific Coast Academy. Fortunately, there are still some hundred of them.” 

Lola fumbled with some of multi-coloured strands of her hair. “How am I now supposed to make it into Malcolm Reese’s next movie?” 

Zoey wondered, “why is he departing? Where is he going to?” 

Chase replied, “to France.” 

###  2:7:3  Following Dana

The news were spreading like wildfire, yet Logan’s reasons were not known. Only stupid rumours abounded, like about some new super movie by Malcolm Reese to be filmed in Paris. In Sushi Rox, Logan was finally talking to his fellow freshmen. 

Zoey, Lola, and Nicole were listening carefully. 

Logan said, “OK, I will go to Paris, beginning with spring break, in order to be with Dana.” 

Inspite of knowing about Dana’s whereabouts, most of the students were consternated. They had hardly been able to see that coming. 

Nicole croaked, “you and Dana?” 

Logan nodded solemnly. “You know, I’m a sadomasochist.” In fact, this was not yet really well known. Logan continued, “and especially at our mmiddle school dance, Dana had been able to torturme me to the limits. I was enjoying that beyond any sane measure.” 

The audience gasped. “Wow!” 

Logan continued, “my life has not made all that much sense without her. So, at Halloween, those guys from France were here, from Dana’s school.” 

Zoey stammered, “Monique and André Chaumont?” 

Logan shrugged. He was unable to remember foreign names. “Maybe. But I’ve talked to them about their school. Rather, I had to pay some middle school guy for doing so on my behalf.” 

Zoey chuckled. 

Logan continued, “I only had to convince my dad of that plan. Of course, a girl would not have been the best argument.” 

Nicole Bristow pouted. “Dana again ... I hate her so much! She’s stealing all the cute boys from us.” 

Zoey Brooks told her to shut up. Alas, she was not at ease. She had gotten Dana sent to France. But she had not yet told the reasons unto anyone. 

###  2:7:4  Frazz

Quinn and Nevel had finally decided to join the others for a camping trip into the nearby sierra. 

Zoey had been very careful checking their equipmwent. As aforementioned, Coco was not to be trusted. 

Quinn was continuing her research. She was developing **Frazz** , a soft drink like PCA’s omnipresent and overly popular **Blix** ,2:29 but much more powerful. Quinn had designed it as a super energy drink. Frazz was all natural, though. Quinn had made it a lot more powerful than necessary. She needed to tone it down without sacrificing its natural taste. 

The southern Californian sun was already very strong during the first days of spring. 

Dustin Brooks was excessively thirsty. Thence he volunteered as a test person for Quinn’s Blix. 

Zoey was against that. 

But Dustin just grabbed the bottle and emptied it in one swipe, ignoring Quinn’s subtle instruction to be more careful and just take a swig. 

Now it was too late. 

Dustin felt even strong enough to establish all the tents on his own and to fistfight a wild bear in the case of one of these beasts showing up. 

Nevel did not mind Dustin being extraordinarily strong for the time being. But he was worried by Quinn’s research concerning the production of those power drinks, anyways. He feared a resulting drug able to turn a normal man into something like a werewolf or similar. “Maybe such a drug had turned Logan into a shapeshifting monster. Then there would be no connection to any curse whatsoever. But this is not sure.” Nevel had got no clue about the start of Logan’s career as a hulky creature. 

The girls talked a lot about Logan’s departure. 

Lola asked, “why not, if he’s happy with Dana?” She had not been at Pacific Coast Academy until the tomboy’s premature departure. And she had not got much of a clue concerning the hostility between Nicole and Dana. Otherwise, she would not have dared to talk about her in the bimbo girl’s vicinity. 

Nicole was taking offense and grunted angrily at the Hollywood diva. 

Dustin grunted, “Zoey, why have you sent Dana to France?” 

Zoey grunted, “hey, I haven’t sent her anywhere. I have just told her parents about that school. That’s it.” 

Of course, in the eyes of most kids, this was not much of a difference. 

Dustin poked Zoey. He did not want to hurt her. But he had not got all that much control over his temporarily increased forces. “But why?” 

Zoey felt bruised. She stammered, “OK, I tell you ... Dana has bullied you. I can’t tolerate such a demeanour!” 

Dustin gasped. “How do you know?” Dustin had been treated rudely by Dana at many an occasion. But this had always occurred in Zoey’s absence. Dustin did not want his overprotective Zoey to know about it. He knew her to screw up. “I may take care of myself!” He fumbled wildly, wreaking some havoc in the camp due to his temporary powers. 

Nevel admitted to having alluded to it, sometimes. 

But Zoey had not got just one source of information. She had gathered bits and pieces of rumours. 

In addition, Dana had never exactly been talking nice things about Dustin. 

###  2:7:5  Return To The Campus

The break was now over. 

The gang was back to the campus. 

Dustin was carrying everyone’s luggage and the whole camping equipment. But he would exhaust withing a few hours and return to the little boy with normal powers. 

The campus of Pacific Coast Academy looke very peaceful since Logan’s departure. 

Life at Pacific Coast Academy would never be the same, would it? 

Zoey wondered, “the accursed creature has left the building. So is the curse mentioned over and over again gone too?” 

Nevel shook his head about such a naïve assumption. “One minor symptom is gone. But the disease will persist, and it will for sure cause even more fever and headache.” 

Zoey understood the picture. But she had still got a hard time believing in something like an invisible curse keeping the whole Pacific Coast Academy ball and chain. 

Would his scary and discouraging statement ever become verified? 

##  2:8  Ring Of Fire

2:30

###  2:8:1  Sushi Sux

Spring along the southern Californian coast could already get very hot. But sometimes, the heat was totally undesirable. 

Just a few days after their return from the spring camp, Dustin and Nevel had fallen fast asleep. 

Suddenly, bells rang out. 

Dustin shrieked. “Why did my alert clock ring? It is in the middle of the night and ...” 

Nevel yawned. “Hey! It was not your alert clock, it is ...” 

Some kids on the corridor must have sensed it much faster. “Fire alert!” 

The county of Los Angeles prescribed two annual alert practices at each school. 

Dean Rivers had hitherto been very sloppy. 

Starting in the middle of the night was no good idea, anyways. Alas, this was no practice. 

Looking out through the window reveiled the reason: Sushi Rox was ablaze. That was not so pleasant. Fortunately, it was no reason for the elementary school boys to be immediately afraid of the worst: Sushi Rox was far enough from their residence hall. But it was not a reason for joy, either. 

###  2:8:2  Ashes

Dustin was not pleased by hearing about the reasons for the blazing incident. 

In the cafeteria, Zoey , Nicole, and Lola appeared with their heads hanging between their knees. 

Dustin wondered, “sis? What’s up?” 

Zoey admitted to having been — at l;east somehow — guilty. She had been the last one in the bar to order hot food. 

But also Chase, working as a waiter and delivery boy, felt guilty. He had carried too much at the same time and stumbled on the staircase in front of the pub. 

Michael, Lola, and Nicole had been unable to do anything about it, either. 

Kazu had startled upon hearing Chase stumble and fall, and then neglected his stove for a minute. Then it had been too late. 

The fire brigades, lead by **Chief Becker** , and the police, lead by **Officer Vega**2:31 — Lola’s uncle — were scrutinising the situation of the ruins of “Sushi Rox”. 

Apparently, the pub could not continue like this. Kazu was ruined. He had not got a fire insurance. How was that possible? There were obligatory fire insurances for many public buildings. 

Coach Keller, the trainer of the basketball team of Pacific Coast Academy, was particularly angry, He was addicted to sushi and would never forgive the kids. 

Nevel grunted, “it was not Zoey’s fault, it was a curse! Consuela’s evil revenge!” 

The high school kids started laughing. 

Zoey could not exactly laugh. She had seen Logan as a werebeast. She had so much hoped for an end of the bad things after Logan’s transfer to Paris. But, apparently, all hopes had been disappointed. 

Nevel explained, “even on my first day here at PCA, Sushi Rox had appeared suspicious. It stank like rotting fish.” 

###  2:8:3  Fire Insurance

Nevel entered the office of Dean Rivers. “Sir!” 

The headmaster had not allowed him to talk and was now upset. 

Beverly calmed him down. 

Nevel panted. “There was no fire insureance for ‘Sushi Rox’?” 

Dean Rivers sighed. “Apparently.” 

Nevel grunted, “there are laws requiring one.” 

Dean Rivers moaned, “oh dern!” 

Nevel suggested, “I know an insurance agent in Seattle , an expert for firey accidents. A certain **Spencer Shay**2:32 from ‘Bushwell Plaza’ always sets everything ablaze over there. He has to pay the highest fees for his fire insurance. It won’t be cheap, given the recent incident.” 

Dean Rivers sighed deeply. 

The restoration of “Sushi Rox” was already supposed to cost a dozen of thousands of bucks. And the insurance fees would probably eat up all the income of Kazu. In other words: Sushi Rox was not just beyond repair, but also beyond any chance of a resurrection from ashes like fabulous bird **Phoenix**. 

###  2:8:4  Mrs. Lee

The message about the obliteration of Sushi Rox was spreading like wildfire across the whole county of Los Angeles. 

The kids tried to think about ways of saving the Japanese bar. But after reading the offers from various fire insurances, the hopes were converging to zilch. 

Not even Quinn pensky was able to invent some suited stuff. 

Samantha Puckett had suggested to print the required bucks with a colour printer. She had learned this from some recently arrested criminal named **Milo Creery**.2:33

But Zoey only accepted legal suggestions. 

Sam deemed that totally boring. “Can’t I at least rob a bank and ...” 

Zoey Brooks grunted, “no!” 

Sam pouted sadly. 

Suddenly, a Chinese woman aged around forty years stumbled in. “Hey, I am looking for Mr. Kazu.” 

Zoey stood up. “He has gone to Birmingham in Alabama. I am responsible for his remaining belongings. He will only return once in order to fetch them.” 

The visitor gasped. “OK, my name is **Mrs. Lee**.2:34 I run a chain of Chinese restaurants in California. My headquarter is nearby ‘Wok Star’. I’m interested in purchasing and running ‘Sushi Rox’.” 

Nicole smiled. “Cool!” 

Zoey nodded. “You know about the conditions? There is now an obligatory fire insurance, and the costs for it are very high.” 

Mrs. Lee nodded solemnly. “I have talked about it with my financial adviser.” 

Zoey shrugged. “OK ...” 

The kids wanted Kazu and “Sushi Rox”, not just any restaurant. 

But it sounded better than none at all. 

Zoey asked, “can’t Kazu at least stay here as an employee? You can’t be in this branch of your chain all the time.” 

Mrs. Lee shook her head. “Sorry! But in my tradition, only family members may become leading employees.” 

Zoey sighed deeply. 

###  2:8:5  Love Is A Burning Thing

Two weeks later, Kazu came back in order to fetch his remaining belongings. 

Zoey told him about the future of the ruins. “Mrs. Lee from the **Wok Star** chain takes over what used to be Sushi Rox. Unfortunately, only family members are allowed in responsible positions, though.” 

Kazu sighed deeply. “That’s always the case in Asian families. I know that.” 

Nevel had heard about Mrs. Lee being a widow. Her first husband had died under mysterious circumstances, hinting towards a vicious curse. 

Chase did not care about any curse, just about the restaurant. He took his guitar. 

Mrs. Lee and Kazu started talking about the details of the transfer. 

Chase started playing _Rings Of Fire_ by immortal **Johnny Cash** , one of the most romantic country songs of the twentieth century. 

Kazu and Mrs. Lee had to listen to his performance. 

They were close to signing a contract. 

Suddenly, Kazu started changing his shade to fiery crimson. 

Mrs. Lee could not help mutating in a similar member. 

They started trembling and shivering. 

Nicole’s eyes bugged out. 

She remarked, “wow, there is something going on! But what?” 

Chase cackled. 

Zoey watched in awe. 

Kazu and Mrs. Lee pulled each other into a kiss. They would soon marry and rule together over an empire of Asian restuarants in southern California. 

Kazu would thus be allowed to continue “Sushi Rox”, just as part of the “Wok Star” empire. 

The daughter of Mrs. Lee, **Daisy Lee** ,2:35 would soon come to Pacific Coast Academy, too, for the better or worse. 

Nevel feared the worst. 

##  2:9  Otis

2:36

###  2:9:1  Quinn’s Pets

Pets were not allowed officially at Pacific Coast Academy. 

But Quinn had been vary successful in her attempts of circumventing this restriction. 

There was spider Herman,2:37 king snake Marvin,2:38 and so many others. But those beasts all had got one thing in common: They were very small and totally easy to hide. 

Alas, this was not the case for Quinn’s biggest pet: **Otis** was an alpaca, something very closely related to a llama. But for Quinn, there was a big difference. 

In any case, Quinn had been forced to leave Otis behind in the outskirts of Seattle. This had not caused much trouble during the last twenty months. But things were now subject to changes. 

###  2:9:2  Lazy Dean

Carl Rivers was not really a fan of moving around too much in his office. 

Thus Quinn had invented him an automated office helper, a machine with several functions, controlled by the voice of the headmaster. 

The command _coffee!_ would automatically run a coffee machine and make a cup of coffee for the headmaster. 

This better worked well! 

During the tests, Michael’s face had been squirted twice with hot water from the coffee machine. 

The command _door!_ was supposed to open and close the office door. 

The command _pencil!_ was supposed to provide the head master with a freshly pointed pencil. 

Unfortunately, the machine had pointed quite a few biro pens during its testing phase. 

The last of some dozen of commands was _dogs!_. 

Using it would trigger some tape recording the sound of barking dogs, scaring any intruder. 

###  2:9:3  Depressive Alpaca

Quinn had a video chat with her parents. 

Unfortunately, there were bad news. According to veterinary surgeon **Dr. Lang** , Otis had gone depressive. He was missing Quinn to the death. This bad message in turn made Quinn very sad. 

The idiotic ignorance of her mother made Quinn angry, in addition. 

The dumb wench had called Otis an ostrich. 

Nevel had to hide from the web cam deployed for the video chat, for Quinn’s perversely idiotic mother was not suppose to see him. 

But Dustin would tell him about this video conference, anyways. 

Quinn was now depressed, too. She was up to leaving the campus and rush to Seattle in order to meet Otis as soon as possible, ignoring any rules prohibiting such a trip. 

###  2:9:4  Any Plans?

Dustin Brooks had just reported the excessively worrying event to Nevel Papperman. 

The freak shook his head. “Why, oh why, does Quinn’s mother have to be such a corrupted wench of the worse sort? She is going to rue the day, until the age of dystopia! She will not recede from her limbs in peace, but in dismay and agony. She frolics in her exorbitant stupidity. She gladly mistakes the most bitter poisons for most delicious sweets.” 

Dustin shivered. “Nevel? This is not very helpful for Otis or Quinn!” 

The sermon went on for several minutes. Nevel was finally calming down. “Quinn must see Otis as soon as possible, and not just in front off a web cam.” 

Dustin remarked, “you know it is strictly illegal to do so in the middle of the term?” 

Quinn would most likely have gotten herself suspended and even expelled for such an action. 

Fortunately, there was some not so old blog entry on Megan Parker’s web site. 

The little sister of Drake Parker had purchased a zebra on the interweb, just a few months ago. A few weeks earlier, she had also bough a sheep named **Bawawawb**.2:39 For a few weeks, Megan had been able to trick her brother Drake and her stepo brother Josh into taking care of the zebra on a daily base. She had fooled them into believing the following: “The zebra stripes for pedestrian crossing are grown on zebras. You can make a lot of money by selling them to the municipal office for traffic.” 

The boobs had been dumb enough for believing it. 

Nevel was now considering to fool Chase and Michael into doing something similar. 

But Dustin shook his head. “Their whole dormitory would stink like alpaca dung.” 

Nevel sighed deeply. “But OK ... Megan finally had to find a new place for the zebra.” 

Dustin read about the striped animal’s current location. 

The zebra was now hosted by some horse ranch not far from Malibu, owned by one **Faye Dunnaway**.2:40 This was close enough for occasional weekend visits. 

Otis would have been in hands more compentent than those of Quinn’s worthless mother. 

And Quinn would no longer be depressed. 

###  2:9:5  Invention Gone Awry

Dean Rivers had got problem with the offoce machine. He had caused some damage by pouring coffee all over it. 

Unfortunately, Quinn was now not able to repair the valuable device. 

Her depressions made any operation impossible. 

But the office machine had already injured his secretary, viz. Beverly, and it had scared away Garth Burman. 

Nevel supposed a curse behind this devious demeanour of the machine. 

###  2:9:6  New Home For Otis

Faye Dunnaway had gladly accepted the request forwarded by Dustin Brooks and Nevel Papperman. 

There were enogh free stables left on the ranch. 

Quinn was now visiting the ranch, along with Lola and Zoey. She was totally glad about this. “It is so endlessly much better than his mini stable in the outskirts of Seattle.” 

Faye grinned. “OK, many people from Los Angeles rent the stables and the pastry for their horses.” She sighed, looking puzzled. “This here is my first ...” 

Quinn grunted, “alpaca ... Otis is an alpaca.” 

Faye panted. “Oh, right, the first alpaca on the ranch. But why not? Does it eat hay and carrots like horses?” 

Quinn sighed. “Otis eats everything I eat, including ice cream. But hay is not bad, either.” She shrugged. “I will make you a list of its favourite grasses and vegetables.” 

Mrs. Dunnaway grinned. 

Otis would be very happy at this ranch not far from Pacific Coast Academy. 

But Quinn would have to spend some time out there. 

###  2:9:7  Office Machine

The machine was still not fixed. 

Quinn had to spend too much time with Otis. 

But Wayne Gilbert and Mindy Crenshaw had declared themselves ready to sub for Quinn and fix the whole apparatus. 

Mindy went even further. “Quinn should get a federal patent of the invention and sent it to many principals and deans all over America!” 

Quinn agreed grudgingly. But she left the marketing in Mindy’s hands. 

The invention would soon be used by **Vice Principal Denzel Crocker**2:41 from Dimsdale Elementary School, by **Principal Eichman**2:42 from Hollywood School For The Professional Performance Arts, by **Vice Principal Crubbs**2:43 from James K. Polk, by **Principal Franklin**2:44 from Ridgeway, by **Principal Brandywine**2:45 from Rocky Road in some northeastern state, and many others. 

Quinn would make a lot of bucks with it, more than enough to rent the stable and feed Otis for the next three years left until her graduation. 

* * *

2:1
    covers _Zoey 101_ : _Back At PCA_
2:2
     cf. _Zoey 101_ : _Robot Wars_
2:3
     cf. _Zoey 101_ : _Chasing Zoey_! 
2:4
     cf. _Zoey 101_ : _Alone At PCA_! 
2:5
     covering _Zoey 101_ : _Haunted House_
2:6
     cf. _Zoey 101_ : _Drippin_ _’_
2:7
     third-party owned story by Frank Baum 
2:8
    surname from the actor’s part in some third-party owned production 
2:9
    cf. _The iCarly Show_ : _iStage An Intervention_
2:10
     covering _Zoey 101_ : _Bad Girl_
2:11
     from _The iCarly Show_
2:12
     from _Zoey 101_ : _The Great Vince Blake_
2:13
     from _Big Time Rush_ : _Big Time Spook_
2:14
     both from _The iCarly Show_
2:15
     from _The iCarly Show_ : _iStake Out_ , with a surname taken from another kinsman from _The iCarly Show_ : _iHeart Art_
2:16
     covers _Zoey 101_ : _Girls Will Be Boys_
2:17
     cf. _Zoey 101_ : _Little Beach Party_
2:18
     from _The iCarly Show_ : _iGo Nuclear_
2:19
     from _Fairly Odd Movie_
2:20
     from _Best Player_
2:21
     from _Victorious_
2:22
     from _Drake & Josh_: _Smart Girl_
2:23
     both from _Drake & Josh_
2:24
    from _Ned_ _’_ _s Declassified School Survival Guide_
2:25
     covers _Zoey 101_ : _Lola Likes Chase_
2:26
     identified with Katie from _Drake & Josh_: _Megan;s New Teacher_
2:27
     both from _Ned_ _’_ _s Declassified School Survival Guide_
2:28
     covers _Zoey 101_ : _Spring Breakup_
2:29
     featured throughout _The iCarly Show_ and _Zoey 101_
2:30
     covers _Zoey 101_ : _People Auction_
2:31
     from _Victorious_
2:32
     from _The iCarly Show_
2:33
     from _Drake & Josh_: _Drake And Josh Go Hollywood_
2:34
     from _Victorious_
2:35
     from _Victorious_ : _Wok Star_
2:36
     covers _Zoey 101_ : _Quinn’s Alpaca_
2:37
     cf. _Zoey 101_ : _Quarantine_
2:38
     cf. _Zoey 101_ : _Girls Will Be Boys_
2:39
     cf. _Drake & Josh_: _Sheep Thrills_
2:40
     from _Zoey 101_ : _Quinn Misses The Mark_
2:41
     from _Fairly Odd Movie_
2:42
     from _Victorious_
2:43
     from _Ned_ _’_ _s Declassified School Survival Guide_
2:44
     from _The iCarly Show_
2:45
     from _Unfabulous_


	3. Third Year

#  Chapter 3  Third Year

##  3:1  Trina Vega

3:1

###  3:1:1  The Return

Summer time was now almost over. Autumn was in front of the gates. The sun was still strong enough to warm the bay of Malibu. 

The Pacific Coast Academy had just opened the gates for the return of its students for a new academic year. This was a really exciting day. Many new encounters and surprises were to be expected. 

Quinn Pensky and Nevel Papperman were among the first kids to reach the campus. 

Quinn looked desperately at her sheet. “This room number makes absolutely no sense! Coco must have been drunk ...” 

Nevel sighed. “I bet it is Coco’s bra size ... 85 D. Don’t trust her and go to some higher official for a complaint.” 

Quinn nodded and moaned, “she’s certainly perverse enough to do so. I am going to ask Ms. Burvich instead. You better rush to your room on your own. I will call you when done.” 

Nevel shrugged. “OK ... Coco is worse than any curse of Consuela. Or she is part of it.” 

Quinn sighed deeply. But her dormitory room assignment was the most important issue for the nerd queen. 

###  3:1:2  Room Assignment

Ms. Burvich was in a grumpy mood, just as usual. She almost ignored Quinn. Other pupils had to be served, too. Finally, it was Quinn’s turn. Mrs. Burvich growled, “you are already assigned, what the ...” 

Quinn replied, “true, but the room does not exist!” 

Ms. Burvich choked. “Oh, yeah, Coco must really have been drunk. Let me see ... there’s now a free spot in ‘101 Brenner’, with Ms. Brooks and Ms. Martinez ...” 

Quinn gasped. “What happened to Nicole Bristow?” 

Ms. Burvich was not entitled to give away any informations about this. “Oh, your old room has not yet been reassigned.” 

Quinn decided to take it back. 

Ms. Burvich nodded. “The next one, please!” 

A weird looking new girl showed. “Hello, I am **Stacey Dillsen**. I come from Swampscott, Massachusetts. My hobbies are astronomy, acrobatics, sculpting, and woodshop. My sister Suzanne works as a nurse at St. Steve Hospital in Mississippi.” Stacey’s pronunciation was terribly slurred. 

Ms. Burvich appeared outrageously annoyed. She sent Stacey straight to Quinn’s dormitory room. 

###  3:1:3  Chase’s Concubine

Nevel was done really fast, even before Dustin’s arrival. They would be assigned a new third roomie, though. 

Jack was going to leave Pacific Coast Academy by the end of the term. 

His new school would be “Silver Springs Middle School”. 

Dustin would be very sad about this loss. 

Nevel just sighed. He was now out on the campus and watched the situation while waiting for his half sister’s call. 

Suddenly, something interesting stabbed his eyes and his mind. 

Chase Matthews was arriving in the company of a busty Latina. 

They could impossibly be blood related. 

There was something fishy. 

Nevel knew about Chase’s tenacious crush on Zoey. So this new girl made no sense. 

Chase appeared to explain the campus to his company. “It looks like a spa, but you get accustomed to it.” 

Nevel deemed this demeanour really dirty. “Chase can’t have a crush on pure Zoey and then screw around with some loose wench.” He decided to observe the situation. 

In addition, Chase was an incredible dweeb. No hot girl could make out with him without feeling the urge of puking all over the place. The whole situation stank worse than a dung pit in mid summer. 

Nevel’s cellular phone rang. He picked it up. 

It was Quinn, finally back from Ms. Burvich. She told him the result. 

But Nevel had not got any time. “I am now in some critical mission. I have to save the morality of the school.” 

Quinn sighed. “OK?” She did not know about Nevel’s mission. But she was somewhat proud of her heroic little half-brother. 

Nevel spotted Dustin Brooks across the campus. 

Zoey’s little brother was about going to the beach with two new girls, and with Jack. 

Dustin’s arranged relationship with Sandy Baldwin had not been lasting long enough. They had become tired by their elder sisters’ ruthless control. 

Nevel told Dustin about the busty Latina. “There is something fishy! Chase must be obsessed with an unclean spirit. Otherwise he would not ...” 

Dustin gasped and accepted Nevel’s explanation. He joined his room mate in his heroic battle against wind mills. 

###  3:1:4  New Roomie

Quinn had just started unzipping her luggage. 

Suddenly, aforementioned Stacey Dillsen moved in. She repeated her usual talk. 

Quinn was not exactly pleased. 

Stacey unveiled a model of the house of her dreams, made all of cotton swabs and white carpernter’s glue. 

Quinn grunted, “who cares?” She adjusted some sort of bee hive. She was eager on cultivating her own bee swarm. She also had to arrange some other disgusting things. Now she had to talk to Lola and left Stacey alone. “Just don’t touch the bee hive, or this, or that, or _incomprehensible scientific stuff_.” 

Stacey shrugged. “hey! We can have so much fun together. Don’t listen to what the other girls say!” She started sobbing. 

###  3:1:5  Observations

Dustin and Nevel watched Chase and the hot, busty criolla from behind some shrubbery. 

Dustin was ready to record any dirty scenes between the two of them in order to report them to Zoey. He had to protect his elder sister from potentially adulterous Chase Matthews. 

Nevel was very careful. He talked in whispers. 

Chase talked to the new girl. “OK! Nobody is watching us.” 

The Latina nodded. 

Dustin’s heart stood still. He expected some excessively perverse stuff going on in about a few moments. 

Chase said, “so, Trina, you have to convince Zoey of being my girlfriend. This will make her jealous.” 

Said **Trina Vega**3:2 nodded. “I know. But I want to be paid for that! And making out in front of Zoey’s eyes will cost you extra. I’m talking hundreds of bucks.” 

Chase sighed. “OK! Lola has probably already told you. You are **Rebecca** , a girl from my home town. We know us because of our mothers.” 

Trina nodded solemnly. 

Chase continued with a few details more. 

Dustin went pale. He stammered, “Chase has hired a girl in order to make Zoey jealous.” 

Nevel was worried. He was equally disgusted by Chase’s deed. though. “Such a creep does not deserve Zoey.” He wiped some sweat off his head. He also wondered, “what does Lola have to do with all that?” Now he had to take care of his hapless roomie. He sat him up and fanned him with fresh air. Sooner or later, Nevel would have to request Quinn’s medic help. 

Chase announced, “First, I will try to meet Zoey out on the campus and tell her the straight way about our ... er ... relationship. Failing that, Quinn and Lola will provoke Zoey into coming over to my dormitory room. And then we have to make out in front of her nose, in the right moment.” 

Rebecca shuddered. “OK! But you know, it will cost you ...” 

Now Nevel was consternated. “What? Quinn is involved too?” He was bitterly disappointed. 

Taking Dustin to Quinn was now apparently to be judged as an exorbitantly bad idea. 

Chase and Rebecca were now gone. 

Nevel had to call someone else for help. He tried Sandy’s number. 

But the Baldwin sisters had hardly arrived. 

Nevel panted heavily. With his last efforts, he dared to call the very Zoey Brooks in person. He closed his eyes while pushing the right buttons. “Zoey! It’s urgent! Dustin has passed out, here in some bushes. Hurry up!” 

Dustin was only able to recover slowly. 

Nevel jumped up and down, watching out for the arrival of the blond Mary Sue. He yelled for her and waved with his jacket. 

Finally, Zoey Brooks noticed him and walked over. “Dustin?” She kneeled down next to her little brother. “What are the two of you doing here in the shrubberies? Spying?” 

Nevel choked. “Er ... yeah?” 

Zoey petted her little brother back to consciousness. “What sort of nonsense have you been up to lately ...” She shook her wallowing blond hair. 

Nevel sighed. “We have caught Chase and some new girl. Trina Vega. But he also calls her Rebecca.” Nevel tried to explain the situation in a plausibly sounding manner. This was not hard. 

Dustin stammered, “he wants to make you believe her to be his girlfriend from his home town. But ... 

Zoey shrugged. “That makes no sense. Chase is entitled to his own girlfriend, just like every other boy here at Pacific Coast Academy.” 

Nevel objected, “he uses Trina in order to make you jealous.” 

Zoey shook her head. “Chases does what? Why, pray tell, would Chase Bartholomew Matthews even want to try to make me jealous?” 

Inspite of still being dizzy, Dustin boomed, “he has been hankering after you for two years now.” 

Zoey gasped. “What? Chase?” 

Nevel nodded solemnly. “Probably most people here know it. Ask Michael, Kazu, Mr. Bender, Coco, ...” 

Zoey was consternated. But she did not believe in “making jealous” as an appropriate means of telling a crush. “I have to talk to Lola and Quinn about it.” 

Dustin wondered, “why not Nicole?” 

Zoey replied, “long story!” She always said so when not wanting Dustin to hear about something unpleasant. 

Nevel panted. “Wait!” 

Zoey wanted to return to her room, but now she hesitated. 

Nevel choked and started explaining, “Quinn and Lola are involved in the whole deal.” 

Zoey sighed. “What? How are they involved?” 

Nevel did not know details. “Chase has told them to send you his way in the right moments, or something like that.” 

Zoey was almost sobbing. “I should talk some serious words about it to Quinn and Lola. But I really don’t know where to start.” 

Dustin nodded sadly. 

Inspite of not approving of espionage, Zoey felt compelled to thank Nevel and Dustin. She did not know now any longer how to behave towards her — erroneously so-called — friends, be it Chase, Lola, or Quinn. 

Nevel was now desperate to find out about Quinn’s rôle in the whole mischievous plot. “There has to be a bad curse behind it!” 

##  3:2  Coco is nuts

3:3

###  3:2:1  Dumped

Zoey Brooks and Lola Martinez had found Coco Wexler out on the campus. 

Their dormitory adviser was just a lump of misery, cringing on the pavement. She just wanted to wither away as fast as possible. There was of course a reason: Coco had been dumped once more by her evil boyfriend, **Carl** , the coach of the softball and baseball team of Pacific Coast Academy, a team that had not won one match in three years and was already the laughing stock of the whole county. 

Even Palmwood’s team was able to maim and obliterate them with ease. 

Carl had dumped Coco more than once. This time, it was by means of a cellular phone message, making it even a whole lot worse for Coco. 

Zoey and Lola were forced to take care of the heap of misery. 

###  3:2:2  Broken Plane

Dustin and some other middle school kids were playing with a model plane. 

But it did not want to fly any longer, so the kids were desperate. 

Nevel and Megan walked paste them. 

Dustin asked Quinn for assistance. 

Quinn boasted, “hey! I am able to repair a real plane.” 

Nevel nodded. “Actually, she may repair spaceship.” 

Quinn nodded, “yeah, as he tells you!” Quinn’s shoes hid a few necessary tools, such as wrenches and screw drivers. 

Nevel watched his elder half sister carefully. “Erm ... Quinn ... you are disabling the servo navigation.” 

Quinn nodded solemnly. “Hey! That’s on purpose!” She explained, “This way, I may reserve more power for the propulsion.” 

Nevel deemed this a very bad thing. 

Dustin wanted to know why. 

Nevel explained, “the plane will not be steerable.” 

Dustin choked. “you mean ... it could fly astray ... and hurt peopole or break windows?” 

Nevel nodded solemnly. 

Quinn protested vigorously. “Hey! Where’s the fun?” 

Dustin sighed deeply. “Sorry, Quinn, but I don’t want to hurt anyone.” “ He was really afraid of Zoey’s potentially impending penal sermon.” 

Quinn was grumpy. “OK, if you know it all better ...” She dropped the plane and walked away, all upset. 

Nevel sighed deeply. “Quinn! We did not mean to ...!” But it was too late. 

###  3:2:3  A New Boyfriend For Coco

Zoey and Lola figured, “Coco needs a new loverboy.” 

Unfortunately there were not all that many single male adults on the campus. 

And Zoey insisted in someone decent and respectable. “Coco needs some orientation in her life, some ordering hand.” 

Lola nodded solemnly. 

The two girls were now up to studying a list of the male adults at Pacific Coast Academy. They had to plan very carefully. 

But this was not an easy task. 

Zoey had heard about Lola’s involvement in Chase’s plans for making her jealous. She assumed a connection between Lola and that busty criolla named Rebecca alias Trina. Thus she was no longer able to trust the young drama queen. 

Lola, on the other hand, had learned from last spring break. “Zoey has admitted to have got Dana removed from Pacific Coast Academy.” Lola did not care about Dana. “But she is maybe also responsible for Nicole’s removal.” Lola was losing her confidence in her room mate. She could not trust her at all. 

But the two room pals were forced to coexist in their dormitory hall. They would feign being best friends. But, really, mutual distrust was going to determine their future demeanour below the surface to a rapidly increasing degree. 

###  3:2:4  Different Plans

Nevel did not exactly approve of Zoey’s and Lola’s strategy. “Coco Wecler is a cursed mess.” 

Dustin sighed deeply. “Another curse?” 

Nevel nodded solemnly. “Any decent man would be wasted on here and just aggravate the curse residing here on the campus.” 

Dustin’s eyes bugged out. He sighed awfully deeply. And he was also looking at his ruined plane. 

Nevel moaned, 

> I am proud of Quinn. 
> 
> And she knows it. 
> 
> But fun has got its limits ... sometimes. 

Dustin nodded solemly. He was looking for other ways to get his plane repaired. 

Unfortunately, Mindy and Wayne were on their honeymoon trip, kind of, sort of. They would usually have been able to repair the plane as well. 

Nevel asked, “do you remember the junk yard nearby?” 

Dustin nodded solemnly. “I have been there sometimes with Quinn in order to look for strange metals and other recyclable raw materials for her experiments.” 

Nevel panted, “maybe we find some material for the plane over there?” 

In addition, some freaks used to hang out on the junk yard in order to look for raw material for their works. 

Dustin nodded solemnly. “We could always ask Miles Brody for advice.” 

**Miles Brody**3:4 was a nerd residing somewhere in the guts of the library of Pacific Coast Academy. 

**Robert Carmichael**3:5 , their third roomie, wondered, “will you build me a tree house after repairing the plane?” 

Nevel shook his head. “Ask Stacey Dillsen!” 

Robbie gasped. But the idea was not without a foundation. 

Stacey wanted to learn the trade of a carpenter, some day. 

###  3:2:5  Quinn Is Sad

Quinn Pensky had been really hurt. “Why did Nevel have to spoil it all?” 

Dustin’s rejection of her help had been a painful experience. 

Stacey found her roomie cringing on her bed. “Do you want to go to supper with me?” Today, the cafeteria offered Stacey’s favourite tacos. 

Quinn sobbed badly. 

Stacey understood, “Quinn is not in the mood for dinner”. She sighed and sat down by her side. “What happened?” 

Hapless Quinn forced herself into talking about the rejection. Her words were flowing slowly and awkwardly. 

Stacey moaned, “I know that feeling.” She had often been rebutted by her mates because of her addiction to cotton swabs and because of her slurred manner of speaking, especially by her sister Suzanne. 

Quinn coughed. 

Stacey remarked, “you are really able to repair rockets?” 

Quinn nodded sadly. “But who cares?” 

Stacey continued, “then you must like the outer space and the stars.” She explained. “I love astronomy.” Her best friend was her telescope. 

Quinn shrugged. “Yeah, atrophysics is very interesting.” She started stammering about Albert Einstein and the theory of black holes. 

Stacey suggested Quinn to found a club for astronomy. 

Quinn smiled. “That would be cool!” 

###  3:2:6  Out On The Junk Yard

Dustin and Nevel walked among the heaps of trashed metal and plastic. 

Nevel moaned, “what a wasteful society! Cursed be it, until the days of dystopia!” 

They stumbled into aforementioned greasemonkey Joe Braxley. 

The mechanic, owner of the junk yard and an associated metal workshop, wondered, “wow, you have got a miniature plane?” 

Nevel nodded. “Correct, Sir!” 

Joe giggled. 

Dustin explained the situation. 

Joe smiled. “I had got the same model, like, fifteen years ago. ” He took a closer look. 

Dustin wondered, “are you able to repair it?” 

Nevel smiled, filled with new hopes. 

Joe nodded solemnly. “Certainly.” 

But Dustin feared the high costs. 

Nevel suggested, “maybe we can cut down the costs by doing him a favour.” 

Joe grinned. “Honestly said, I haven’t had a date with a woman in ages.” He suggested, “You just have to get me a date with a suitable girl. Then you only will have to pay for the materials.” 

Nevel nodded. “OK! Deal!” 

Dustin looked puzzled. 

Nevel and Dustin walked away. 

On the way out, Nevel explained, “the grease monkey is perfect for Coco Wexler!” 

Dustin gasped. “Wow!” 

###  3:2:7  Consequences

Dustin and Nevel had successfully tried to arrange a date of Joe and Coco in “Sushi Rox”. 

This restaurant was now reopend. 

Kazu and Mrs. Lee had married during the summer break. 

Kazu was now responsible for the branch here on the campus, still named “Sushi Rox”. 

But tonight, Mrs. Lee was in command. 

Nevel was ready to perform some background music with his recorder. 

Finally, Coco and Joe appeared. 

Wearing rags stained with ravioli sauce, Coco was guided along by Sandy Baldwin and Melanie Puckett. 

Joe, dressed in his gressy mechanic’s overall, was dragged in by Dustin and Robbie. 

Nevel started playing some mixed tunes. 

The evening was going well. Only at the end, Carl showed up in an attempt to get Coco back. He was ready to apply some violence. 

But Sam Puckett stopped him with a baseball bat. “The sucker claimed girls to be too weak for his team.” 

Now Carl had paid the due price for his lie. 

Nevel and Dustin, on the other hand, had paid their due price for getting the plane repaired. 

Quinn and Stacey walked in, talking about the details for their planned club for astronomy. 

Robbie asked Stacey for her help with building a tree house. 

Stacey cheered. “Someone actually appreciates my abilities as a future carpenter.” 

Lola and Zoey were thoroughly disappointed, though. They had messed up their jobs badly and had to see Coco dating the worst and most messy dork of Malibu. And it had been their comeuppance. Their mutual distrust had spoiled their plans badly. Or was there a curse behind it? 

##  3:3  Knocking On Hell’s Door

3:6

###  3:3:1  Silver Hammer Society

The **Silver Hammers** were an elitary society, alias a — mistakenly so-called — Brotherhood exclusively active at high schools and colleges of coastal southern California, from Santa Barbara to San Diego. This included in particular the metropolitan complex of larger Los Angeles and Hollywood. 

Members recruited as high school kids could look forward to an almost certain continuity into college, university, and the corporal world of that region, and that could as well mean: around the whole world, given the global significance of Hollywood and other economic heavy weights based in Los Angeles. Many politicians, scientists, artists, financial titans of all sorts, and on and on and on it goes, got their career boosted to a significant degree by their former membership in the “Silver Hammer Society”. 

Needless to say, the most elitary club of the “Silver Hammers” was also heavily represented at California’s most exclusive boarding school, viz. Pacific Coast Academy. 

After all, membership in the society was a goal of highest priority for the majority of the high school kids at Pacific Coast Academy. 

During the first two years of coeducation, the Pacific Coast Academy branch had only recruited boys. The reason for this had been the lack of known girls among the high school kids at Pacific Coast Academy. This was about changing. Girls had ceased being a striking minority. And they were more and more in the focus of the public interest. There was now no way left around assuming girls into the list of the members of this distinguished society. 

These days, the elders roamed the campus, armed with a famous silver hammer. They knocked lightly any potential new member, such as Zoey Brooks, Lola Martinez, Michael Barret, Chase Matthews, and many other sophomores. 

Chase had refrained from joining though. He hated those elitary-sounding clubs. 

###  3:3:2  Sarah Kyla

There was a new girl at Pacific Coast Academy. known as **Sarah** , but also as **Kayla**.3:7

Quinn had eyed her arrival in an utterly suspicious manner. Even more, she did not want anyone to talk to her. 

Nevel figured this as really strange. “Quinn, who is that girl?” 

Quinn grunted. “Why would I know? I have never seen her before!” 

Nevel knew, “this is so wrong.” But he also saw no use in bothering his half sister with this question. But he could not let Sarah get away with that. He started threatening Sarah. “Get your fingers off Quinn! Or you will rue it, until the times of dystopia will you rue it!” Unfortunately, he had gone too far. 

Sarah flang the little bugger into the next shrubbery. 

For the next week, Nevel would be out of business. This way, he was unable to take on his new quest. He suspected the Silver Hammers to be a satanic cult of the worst sort. He gave Dustin instructions to do the necessary research. 

###  3:3:3  Postulancy

The elders of the Silver Hammers had gathered the postulants in a dark hall. 

One of them made an annoying triangle sound on and off. 

The recently knocked postulants were kneeling in a row, the eyes covered. 

The elder explained the necessity of a task for each of them to accomplish,really dirty slave jobs. 

Zoey was forced to feed the elders. 

Lola’s job was that of shaving them. 

Michael was used for taking care of their teeth. 

All of this was certainly foul and disgusting. But the prospects made them sound worth it. 

Dustin had hidden a micro chip in Zoey’s outfit. Now he was watching the obnoxiously absurd ceremony on his laptop. He was really scared and disgusted. He could not help agreeing with his roomie. “They must be a cursed club of devil’s agents!” 

###  3:3:4  Quinn tells Stacey

Once more, Quinn was sitting on her bad. She dug her face in her head pillow. 

Stacey stumbled in. “Hey! I have bought new star charts.” 

Quinn should have been excited. But she still felt miserable. 

Stacey had noticed something wrong. “Is it because of the new girl? Sarah?” 

Quinn grunted, “never mention her again! You’ve got me?” 

Stacey sighed deeply. 

Quinn sobbed. She pondered. “Maybe I should tell her? I don’t want her to get hurt like Nevel.” She panted heavily. “Stacey, may you keep a secret?” 

The cotton swab freak nodded solemnly. 

Quinn sighed. 

> It is important to let it be a secret. 
> 
> I was a pageant girl, many years ago. I am not proud of it. Especially having been a majorette is so embarrassing. 
> 
> I have only decided at the age of seven to become a greater genius than Einstein. 
> 
> Sarah has been at one of those pageants. She might remember and tell others about it. She has been particpating with some martial poses like chopping marble plates with her hands. 
> 
> Then my career would be ruined. 
> 
> I would have to go much further away, at least to Florida, and I can forget about Caltech. 

She sobbed piteously. 

Stacey suggested Quinn to tell Nevel as well. “He has been hurt badly defending your honour.” She sighed. “My sister Suzanne would not do anything like that.” 

Quinn sighed deeply. 

###  3:3:5  The Explanation

Quinn had just told her still bandaged brother about the situation. 

Nevel sighed deeply. 

Quinn wondered, “and now you have to hate me.” 

Nevel shook his head. “I’m still proud of you.” 

Quinn huggled Nevel. Then she had to walk away. 

A little later, Ashley Blake stumbled in. 

Nevel growled, “what do you want?” 

Ashley grinned. “Sorry! I haven’t told Sarah you are just a harmless spaz.” 

Nevel choked. “What?” 

Ashley continued. “Sarah is my new bodyguard. She should not have demonstrated her martial prowess in vain.” 

Nevel was still feeling the bruises. “Your new bodyguard?” 

**Vince Blake** , elder brother of Ashley and hitherto quarterback of the football team, had been in this position for the last year. But this was no longer the case. Vince had been cheating in some test in order to reach the necessary grades for not getting suspended from extracurricular activities. He was in need of a lot of training for the upcoming state championship, the first in ages for a football team of Pacific Coast Academy. He had been caught and denounced by Chase Bartholomew Matthews. Thence he got suspended. He would also not have been able to accompany Ashley to the shooting sites for the rest of the year because of now compulsory tutoring. He had been up to getting back at the bushy skull and hurt him badly. 

But Ashley had held him back. 

> Vince would have been suspended. 
> 
> But I did not want that. 
> 
> He may not be my body guard for quite some time. But he is still one of my brothers, and I want him here at Pacific Coast Academy with me. 

Nevel gasped. “Didn’t you just use Vince, like anyone elese?” 

Ashley sobbed. “I have learned from you and Quinn.” The usually ice cold diva was always weeping. She was certainly able to feign feellings, but this time she would have had to go out of her way for making Nevel believe something like that. 

Nevel had gone through quite some pains in order to be with Quinn at Pacific Coast Academy. 

This seemed to be contagious. 

###  3:3:6  Evil Rules

This was the last initiatory session of the society of the Silver Hammers. All of the postulants had mastered their dirty slave tasks and were looking forward to their confirmed membership in the club. But things were not that easy: They had got to vote against someone from their midst. 

The unlucky postulant would be rejected. 

Zoey was upset by this — and withdrew voluntarily. 

The other postulants followed her, leaving the elders all consternated. 

Dustin concluded, “they would certainly have sacrificed the unlucky postulant to Satan!” He had seen that in horror movies. He should not have watched those. But he had slipped them past Zoey. 

So, what was the real hypostasis of the Silver Hammers? 

More research was necessary. 

##  3:4  Perverse Obsession

3:8

###  3:4:1  Lisa Perkins

Nevel Papperman was finally able to walk again on his own, after the bad injuries inflicted by Sarah Kyla. 

Dustin’s report about the most likely activities going on in the club of the Silver Hammers had been most believable. 

But now there was a new problem on the campus. 

Michael Barret was lovesick in the uttermost abominable manner. He hankered after one **Lisa Perkins** like a wounded puppy. It was like a doomgiving obsession. 

Lisa was a gifted poprock singer, dwelling in the same genre as e.g. Drake Parker. 

Michael could not hold the dimmest candle to her. 

And the worst of all of this mess: Lola and Zoey were trying to get the to of them together. 

Nevel shook his head vigorously. “Michael will go insane with a girl like Lisa. He is not a man for the show.” 

Dustin sighed deeply. “It will be as disgusting as Chase and Lola.” 

Nevel moaned, “at least Lola had just been playing around with Chase for a short period.” 

With Michael and Lisa, things would have had the extremely high potential of growing easily beyond any hitherto known limits. 

###  3:4:2  Open Mic Night

Zoey Brooks and Lola Martinez had made a special plan for the Open Mic Night. 

Michael was singing a parody on a popular rock song. He had been very successful during the last years, inspite of his huge fear of spotlights. 

Zoey had been arranging a spot for Lisa Perkins in the first queue. 

But Dustin and Nevel had not been any less active. 

Nevel had sent Megan Parker a message. Now he was told to leave it all to her. 

Unfortunately, the curfew for Dustin and Nevel was earlier than the Open Mic Night. For that avail, they were not going to see the results before the next morning. 

Quinn was watching the Open Mic Night, though. She had to help Stacey Dillsen. 

The cotton swab freak had strained her butt muscles during yoga classes. Thus she had still got big troubles walking across the campus. It was not possible without crutch sticks. 

Michael Barret was the first to sing. He was very nervous. The unexpected vicinity of Lisa Perkins made it even much harder. Michael had to puke on Lisa in the most embarrassing manner. 

Lisa was uttermost consternated. 

Michael ran a awy, screaming like th last possible idiot. 

Lisa and her neighbours in the first row had to go to the toilets in order to clean their mess. Lisa had to prepare her own performance as well. 

The speaker had to introduce the next number. 

Stacey Dillsen was going to sing a song named _Sassafras Tea_.3:9

But there was a backup guitarist. It was no other than Drake Jared Parker, the greatest of all rock guitarists from San Diego. 

The audience made the hall quake and tremble for applause. 

Stacey squealed. “Drake! Yeah, you are going to back me up!” She was a fan of him, too. 

Alas, Drake just wanted to get this number done. 

Stacey was certainly not exactly his kind of sort of girl. 

Drake would have harvested a lot of applause. 

But Stacey was just ... gruesome. Her lisp and her handicap did not add anything in order to improve her “voice”. Stacey got disqualified. 

The organiser was sorry for having bothered Drake. 

But the rock idol’s primary task, as envisioned by nobody other than his smart little sister, was that of backing Lisa Perkins. 

And this moment was now there. 

Lisa entered the stage. She had not yet heard about Drake’s presence. Now she gasped. “Par ... par ... par ...” 

“Parker,” added Drake. “But you may call me Drake!” 

Lisa was a bit dazed. 

Drake asked, “so what song do you want to sing?” 

Lisa sighed. “ _Makes me happy_!”3:10

This had not really been her original intention. But now it appeared to fit nicely. 

Drake nodded. “OK, let’s go!” 

Lisa Perkins was a great singer on her own right, but with Drake Parker’s backup, her performance appeared about thrice as great. 

###  3:4:3  The Morning After

Nevel and Dustin had been slouching into the cafeteria. Now they were curious concerning the last night. 

All of a sudden, aforementioned Wendy Gellar crossed their face, accompanied by Sandy Baldwin and Ashley Blake. 

Dustin gasped. He remembered his former crush on Wendy. Of course he had been over it for quite some year. 

Wendy walked now straight into Nevel’s and Dustin’s direction. “Hi guys!” 

Dustin stammered, “hi!” 

Wendy remarked, “Megan has told me about Drake’s appearance here. Of course I just had to follow in around.” 

Nevel moaned, “yeah, of course!” 

Wendy almost talked in a swoon when mentioning Drake. “And last night, I had to see him making out with Lisa Perkins, somewhere in some silent corner.” 

Dustin’s eyes bugged out. 

Nevel nodded solemnly. “I have so seen that coming.” 

And of course it had been more or less Megan’s perfect plan. Drake’s little sister just had known it. 

Wendy sidghed deeply. “Drake had already turned me down two years ago. He even made fun of my crush on him.” She compared it to Lisa Perkins’s words about Michael’s crush. 

Nevel concluded, “OK, Wendy, you know best how Michael Barret must feel now.” 

Wendy sobbed sadly. 

Nevel commanded Wendy to go and talk to Michael. “He needs to learn from your experiences now.” 

Wendy nodded solemnly. 

###  3:4:4  Consequences

Wendy and Michael were crossing the campus, hand in hand. 

Michael sobbed. “Too bad I had to go through that abomination of my stubborn crush on Lisa before that.” 

Wendy nodded solemnly. “I have learned to compose some rock music. I’ve heard about some songs of yours.” 

Michael smiled. “Yeah, they are cool.” He had tried to impress Lisa, but he had failed as miserably as only possible. Now he was lucky to have found Wendy, inspite of the age gap. 

But time and music were able to fill any chasm. 

Stacey Dillsen was now able to walk again. She decided to start building a tree house for Robbie Carmichael right away. But she needed the consent of Dean Rivers. And negotiating with the headmaster used to be a very awkward business. 

At the same time, Nevel and Dustin kept on looking for the deeper secret of aforementioned “Silver Hammers”. 

Nevel remembered their triangle as reported by Dustin. As an expert for secret music, he was predestined and most qualified for an exorbitantly painstaking analysis of the sound of the instrument used in their cultic gatherings. 

The subtleties of the sound of a ceremonial instrument may tell a listener gifted with Nevel’s absolute audition a lot about the true intentions of the ritual. This was possibly the way to getting hold of the evil secrets of the club. But Nevel needed to sneak into one of their ceremonies for that avail. He could not send a delegate or so. Using microphones distorted the sound beyond recognition. The characteristic upper vibrations would get lost. 

And this enterprise was potentially, no, it was most definitely connected with a very high risk. Did the peril of getting caught and tortured in all sorts of unspeakable manners make it worth? 

Nevel had to decide. And he could not endanger Dustin, let alone Robbie, for this purpose. He had to do it all alone, and he had to do it his way. 

##  3:5  Unhappy Birthday

3:11

###  3:5:1  Doodle Cake Blues

Little Hollywood diva Lola Martinez was painfully addicted to fruit doodle cakes. Those candy bars were sold on the campus of Pacific Coast Academy in one of the stupid vendor machines. 

There had been often troubles with those. They served especially for selling junk food. 

Dean Rivers had declared it a great business, profictable for the school administration. 

Nevel Papperman had deemed something fishy there. 

Zoey had tried to make the machines switch to more healthy food,3:12 against the will of the school admin. But this had not yet worked out well. 

Now Lola had just stuck one of her bucks into the money slit. Then she pushed the correct buttons. But nothing good happened. The machine had swallowed Lola’s bank note and refused to return anything. Lola was angry and tried to punch the machine. 

Her sister Shelby Marx3:13 would have punched it into smithereens. But she was not around. 

Quinn came along. “Hey, Lola!” 

The drama queen explained the situation, all angry. 

Quinn told her, “punching is pointless. You need to kick it!” 

Alas, **Mr. Thatcher** , a totally perverse vice principal, noticed the situation and told the cjildren to desist. “You need to file a complaint at the administration office. Being lucky, you get your money back in six months or so.” 

This was of course nowhere near satisfactory. 

The decadent vice principal was gone. 

Nevel and Dustin walked past them. 

Dustin was not at ease, either. He had been admonished severely to refrain from breaking rules again. He had just been fished out of the pool by Mr. Thatcher. 

This time around, Zoey had been able to talk him out of trouble. 

But this would not work out all the time. 

Nevertheless, Dustin offered to stick his hand through the slot. 

Nevel tried to dissuade his room comrade. “Do not do it! This vendor machine is cursed!” 

Lola made fun of Nevel’s words. “The evil curse of Consuela!” She grinned demonically and gestured like an idiot. 

Quinn poked Lola. 

Dustin was not sure. He felt most likely intimidated. But he hated things like those happening to Lola. He panted heavily and slipped his hand through the ejection slot. For a moment, it appeared to work out well. But then the arm appeared stuck as well. 

Lola glared grimly at the machine. 

> Your bro is right. 
> 
> The machine is cursed. 
> 
> Damn it! 

Dustin cried. “I can’t stay here.” 

Alas, his arm hurt. 

Quinn suggested to get some heavy machine oil and some tools from Joe the mechanic. 

Nevel Papperman glared at the machine. “You should not have done this, you machine! You will now rue the day. You rue it! Until dystopia will you rue it!” 

Lola asked, “what is dystopia?” 

Quinn whispered some words into the diva’s ears. 

Lola squealed for excruciating dismay. “That’s gross!” 

Quinn calmed her down. 

All of a sudden, a flash of lightening came down from mid heaven and struck the vendor machine. 

Nevel leapt forward in order to cover Dustin. 

The vendor machine blew up and burst into smithereens. 

Dustin’s arm was bleeding. 

Nevel’s back was bleeding all over. 

Quinn and Lola were all pale. 

Quinn stammered, “I don’t need the machine oil or the tools anymore. I don’t think so.” Then she started caring about the injured kids. 

Lola cheered. “My doodle cake!” She grabbed her candy, walked away, and started swallowing it joyfully. 

###  3:5:2  Death Of A Grandma

Of course, Dustin and Nevel did not recover from the machine accident that fast. Two days had gone by. Dustin and Nevel were lying in the nurse’s station. 

Zoey came in for a visit. But she had got other news to spread. 

Nurse Shannon was just bandaging Dustin’s arm. 

Zoey sighed. “I’m away for four days. Sorry!” 

Dustin wondered, “why?” 

Zoey shrugged. “It just ... is like that.” Of course she could not disappear for several days from the campus without a special reason and permission. 

Dustin glared at her. 

Zoey gave up. “Chase has to go to his grandma’s funeral. He can’t make it all alone. He is too weak.” She sighed deeply. “Mr. Bender has told me to follow him up to there.” 

Dustin wondered, “a funeral?” 

Zoey sobbed bitterly. She had to report 

> Chase’s birthday was yesterday. 
> 
> You certainly know that. 
> 
> I had been looking for a perfect birthday gift. 
> 
> Chase happened to have the same birthday as his favourite granny, of course with many years inbetween. 
> 
> I had just tried to get his grandmother to come to Pacific Coast Academy just for his birthday, allowing them to celebrate together. 
> 
> But then she was not able to come. She had caught a cold. 
> 
> So the birthday party had to manage sadly without her. 
> 
> And then there was that message. 
> 
> His grandma was dead. 
> 
> It was a rain storm. 
> 
> But Chase had spent all night out on the campus. 

Zoey had to weep. 

Dustin sighed deeply. “You need to be strong now.” He pitied Chase. 

Nevel, bandaged all over his body, moaned, “Quinn’s salve burns so much, like hell fire. But it is supposed to help.” 

Zoey sighed. 

Nevel grunted, “the rain storm had not been predicted by weather reporter **Walter Nichols**.” 

Zoey nodded. “Weather frogs may go wrong.” 

Nevel insisted, “that was not a simple mistake, it was a curse! Just like the death of the grandmother and the vendor machine.” 

Zoey was consternated. But she could not contradict Nevel. “It really was the worst rain storm ever in southern California. And it was completely unpredicted.” 

Nevel remarked, 

> OK, Megan has got a friend named **Addie Singer** ,3:14 not living far from Chase’s home town. 
> 
> She has lost her favourite grand aunt, **Bertha** ,3:15 just two years ago. 
> 
> Visit Addie! 
> 
> She will understand Chase bestand be able to comfort him. 

Zoey gasped. But she deemed this plausible. She just needed a way to contact Adelaide Singer. Then she kissed Dustin one more time on the top of his head before leaving. She had to hurry up. 

Nevel wagered, “the society of the Silver Hammer is behind the death of the grandmother.” 

Dustin shivered. 

Nevel explained, “Chase had been one of the first to reject membership.” 

Dustin nodded solemnly. “Or that Trina Vega is the culprit.” 

Nevel gasped. “Oh yeah, that dirty little _`censored`_. She may have denounced the grandma to the hammers.” He shrugged. 

Lola had suggested Chase to hire Trina because of being tired of Chase waltzing around Zoey without anything real happening. 

Quinn had worked together with Lola becauseof being tired of the situation as well. 

Neither of them had been able to predict Trina’s true perversity. 

Down to Quinn’s salve, Nevel would soon get well again. And then he would have to risk everything in order to snoop the hammers. 

Alas, there was also an impending field trip of the sixth graders, including Nevel and Dustin, into the sierra. 

Nevel deemed that field trip cursed, too. And he was not able to be at the same time at both places. What would he do? 

##  3:6  The Last Cry

3:16

###  3:6:1  Screaming

Lola and Ashley were about trying our for a new horror movie by Malcolm Reese. Both of them were up to filling in the main rôle, a woman screaming herself to death. 

A lot of practice was still necessarily. Apparently, this practice knind of involved squealing, a real lot of it, even. 

Dustin’s bones were still vibrating from having to listen to earthquaking the squeals of Ashley Blake. 

Lola’s practice was not substantially different. The sophomore kids were Lola’s main victims. 

###  3:6:2  Danny

Zoey helped Lola with her practice. She had been told to plaster a ver frightening facial expression, scaring the livving hell out of the restless drama queen. 

Lola had to squeal at the uttermost top of her lungs upon seeing her roomie’s horrible face. 

Some boy around twenty came closer. “Hey! Is something wrong?” 

Zoey explained the situation. 

The guy introduced himself as one Danny. 

Zoey liked his courage and called him to da te for the evening. “At seven o’ clock in front of the cinema.” 

Danny agreed. “OK, see you!” 

###  3:6:3  Suspicious

Nevel had just visited Quinn. Now he returned to his dormitory room. “Quinn is working on a remedy to curse the disease killing Chase’s grandma.” He sighed deeply. “There is no such disease!” 

Dustin gasped. 

Nevel insisted, “it’s a curse.” 

Dustin shivered. “What is worse?” 

Nevel sighed. Neither an uncurable disease nor an unbreakable curse was any good at all. Nevel was annoyed by Quinn’s experiments with bacteria. “I hate germs!” He almost puked for disgust. “And Quinn raises bacteria in order to look for a means against them.” “ He deemed that absurd and perverted.” 

Dustin sighed deeply. Then he told Nevel about Zoey’s latest date. 

Nevel shook his head. “Poor Zoey! She steps from one pitch grove into the next.” 

Dustin looked aghast. 

Nevel wondered, “or do you know that Danny already?” 

Dustin shook his head. “Not even Zoey has ever heard of him.” He wondered, “maybe he is found in the yearbook.” 

Nevel shook his head. “There are too many Danny boys in the year book, even some girls.” 

Dustin grunted, “Zoey won’t date girls!” 

Nevel nodded. “But she uses to date the wrong boys.” He moaned, “think about Glen Davis.” 

Dustin shuddered for excruciating disgust. 

Nevel panted heavily. “Danny is certainly an envoy of Satan, sent to earth in order to corrupt Zoey Brooks, the innocent virgin!” 

Dustin squealed. He could not compete by any means with Ashley or Lola, though. “maybe he is a silver hammer?” 

Nevel gasped. “Hells bells! This sounds very likely.” 

Dustin looked puzzled. 

Nevel explained, “this Danny is not known here on te campus. But he knows his way around very well.” 

Dustin wondered, “so, he is a Hammer from some other school, and he had been informed by his brethren from Pacific Coast Academy?” 

Nevel nodded sadly. “The hammers hate Zoey for having spoiled this year’s recruitment of new members.” 

Dustin nodded uttermost solemnly. He had to find out more in order to be able to protect his elder sister. 

###  3:6:4  In The Cinema

Dustin had just bought a ticket for a movie only suited for high school kids. He was not even interested in the stupid movie. But he had got a different reason for being in the cinema: He needed to snoop the date between Zoey and Danny. 

This was possibly the only way to save the blond Mary Sue. 

Alas, Zoey would have been very angry at her little brother when noticing his espionage. 

The bouncer would not have let a sixth grader into the cinema hall for that inappropriate movie. 

But Nevel distracted the dumb jock with an old trick, spreading the rumour of star model **Diana Vosh**3:17 being on the campus. This was a deadly safe way for distracting most of the perverted jocks. 

The movie had begun. 

Dustin was donning a fake mustache in order to not get recognised by the blond Mary Sue. He also talked to Nevel on the cellular phone. 

Zoey and Danny arrived. 

Danny was up to doing some perverse things with Zoey. 

Dustin was disgusted. He threw up in his stomach. 

Nevel told him, “what are they doing?” 

Dustin replied, “abominable stuff!” He sobbed. “It’s really a curse.” 

Nevel sighed. “probably. I have found here another Danny, a tall blond rake hanging out with Stacey Dillsen. He could really do better than that. He must be up to some other perversity.” 

Dustin sighed deeply. “Probably. Tall rakes look down at Stacey.” 

Nevel was better going to investigate the fishy situation. 

Dustin was now on his own. The connection was not interrupted, though. 

Danny wanted to feed Zoey some candy. He made a few jokes. 

Dustin had never seen that sort of candy. He asked Nevel about it. 

Nevel commented, “candy? Do you mean Japanese candy?” 

Dustin did not know. “It looks exotic.” 

Nevel gasped. 

> Megan has recently told me about Japanese candy, the last scream at her school. 
> 
> It is highly addictive. 
> 
> It can be used to manipulate girls into just anything. And it is still perfectly legal, just hard to get due to the rarity of certain secret traditional Japanese ingredients. 
> 
> Verily, I tell you ... This candy is the most dangerous weapon of the ninja of today. 

Dustin was consternated. He could not allow Danny to manipulate Zoey with spiked candy. He panted heavily. Then he stood up and assulted Danny from behind, throwing him mercilessly to the ground. 

Zoey looked consternated. “What is going on here?” 

The cinema guard interrupted the thing and turned the lights on. 

Dustin’s feeble mask had dropped off his face during the onslaught. 

Zoey had not got any problems identifying her little brother. “Dustin! What are you doing here?” 

Dustin stammered. He tried to talk about the situation. But he cpuld only stammer incomprehensibly. 

Zoey threw him out. “I have to talk a serious word to mom about it! Now go to bed, Or else ...” 

Dustin was dragged away by the security guards. 

###  3:6:5  Start Of The Field Trip

The next morning, the sixth graders started their field trip. 

Mr. Bender and Coco Wexler controlled the list of pupils. 

Zoey still did not want to believe in Danny’s perversity. She was in a stinky mood and did not even wave at Dustin. 

But Nevel had asked his sister to examine the exotic candy scientifically during their absence. 

Quinn granted that wish. She also had to care about her heart broken roomie, Stacey Dillsen. 

Aformentioned tall blond rake **Dennifer** alias Danny had insulted her cotton swabs. According to Nevel, it was a very dangerous demon. 

Quinn did not yet believe that. But she sensed something wrong, somehow. She took her portable laboratory and started scrutinising the addictive substance. 

After all, there were now two dubious guys on the campus, both of them known as Danny. 

But it was uttermost unlikely the true name of either of them. 

Was Zoey Brooks really in danger? Would she ever forgive her little brother? 

Was there a connection between Zoey’s date and the society of the “Hammers”? 

And who was the tall blond rake really? 

Time would have to tell. 

Likewise, Ashley Blake was away to the camp, too. 

Was Lola Martinez going to use this in order to land the starrôle of the upcoming movie? She was trying hard for sure and scaring many a student with her screams. 

##  3:7  End Of The Year

###  3:7:1  Bus Trip

The last to enter the bus was **Kenneth Billiam**3:18 , Nevel’s and Dustin’s teacher for geography and social studies. Mr. Billiam was not only a teacher, but also a ranger scout thoroughly skilled in survival in the wilderness. 

The kids were singing some songs in order to bridge the time. 

>   
> One hundred bottles of blix in the hall  
> One hundred bottles of blix.  
> Take one own!  
> Pass it around!  
> 

The trip was still very long. 

Finally, all the virtual bottles of blix were used up. 

Fortunately, there was still Coco’s perverted obsession with canned ravioli to get ridiculed rigorously at any cost.

>   
> One hundred cans o’ ravoli in town  
> One hundred cans o’ raviol’  
> Pick one one up!  
> Coco’s around!  
> ...  
> 

Many kids were looking forward to two weeks off the campus. 

But Nevel Papperman had not got an easy feeling. 

Granted, the kids were away from all the headquarters of the “hammers”. 

But the horror continued. 

Likewise, Dustin would not be able to sleep all night. He had to think about the possible identities of the creep known as Danny. 

###  3:7:2  Lost Children

The camp had been totally awkward. 

Coco Wexler was as messy as expected. 

But. Mr. Billiam should have been more responsible, given his long experience as a ranger. 

The kids had been controlled regularly during the trip. 

Nevertheless, Nevel’s own calculations lead to a devastating outcome: 

Four kids were missing. 

The responsible adults feigned ignorance. 

Dustin had started shivering. “Robbie, Max, and Henry are here.” 

Nevel sighed. “The same goes for Sandy, Wendy, and Ashley.” 

Dustin refused to enter the bus before having looked for the missing kids. 

The bus driver was already impatient. “I don’t get paid for waiting here!” 

The present kids checked with their known faces. 

Finally, the names of four missing kids were confirmed. 

Mr. Billiam was now compelled to countercheck. 

Unfortunately GPS did not work reliably out in the wastelands. 

The main problems were caves. 

Mr. Billiam did not want any external support. 

His honour as a master ranger was severely at stake. 

But Nevel threatened the stupid bus driver viz. **Dr. Lowe**3:19 into informing the next police. 

###  3:7:3  The Cave

After some thorough search by the county brigades, the missing kids were found in a cave two miles from the camping site. 

Dustin shivered. He was afraid of the cave. “Maybe there is bigfoot inside!” 

Kenny Billiam laughed about Dustin. 

Nevel growled, “do not make any fun of bigfoot, or rue the day, until the times of dystopia!” 

Kenneth Billiam went pale. 

Nevel did not enter the cave. He had got a really forboding feeling. A lot of things appeared totally wrong out there. 

###  3:7:4  Return To The Campus

The bus had finally made it back to the drop site of the campus of Pacific Coast Academy. 

Coco Wexler and Kenny Billiam were now up to expecting quite some trouble. 

Mr. Bender was consternated. 

Dean Rivers had not yet heard about the incident. He was busy planning his own summer vacations, and especially the fourth of July. The campus of Pacific Coast Academy, devoid of students, would host a traditional independence parade on that day. 

Zoey Brooks had still not forgiven Dustin. 

Quinn was around in order to take care of her little half brother. 

Nevel wanted to hear about the Japanese candy. 

Quinn sighed deeply. She had to talk to Nevel in some silent corner. 

###  3:7:5  Sweet Drugs

Quinn panted heavily. “OK, Nevel, I have analysed some pieces of the Candy fed to Zoey by Danny.” She started stammering. “That Japanese candy is indeed chock full of alcaloid drugs.” 

Nevel looked consternated. 

Quinn concluded sadly, “Zoey Brooks is now addicted to some fairly new drug, not yet covered by Californian law.” 

Nevel choked hard. And he still had to tell Dustin. 

Quinn had already tried to talk about it to Zoey. But the blond Mary Sue had refused to listen. 

Quinn was clueless concerning possible things to do. 

Chase Matthews had by the way recovered as much as possible from the loss of his grandmother. 

Addie Singer had been a very valuable help for him. 

Chase was going to see her during the summer break. 

Addie had just broken up with her ex boyfriend, **Jake Behari**.3:20 As of recent, no, from the very start, their relationship had been s string of severe misunderstandings, accumulating more and more over time. 

###  3:7:6  Summer Break

The academic year was finally gone. 

Many parents were on the campus for the usual pick up. 

Other students did not get picked up. They would take an organised group transport. 

Quinn and Stacey had signed up for a summer camp for astronomy, somewhere on fabulous Palomar Mountain, not far from San Diego. 

It was the location of one of the biggest stationary telescopes. 

Quinn had already thought about a combination of the technology used by that observatory with one of her inventions, a set of several telescopes allowing for several kinds of improved vision. In the service of some big observatory, the invention would have rocked the living hell. 

Nevel swooned. He had to think about Megan, living not far from Palomar. But he could not stay in California over the summer break. He would have to return alone to the state of Washington in order to avoid making Quinn’s mother turn suspicious. 

Dustin had been consternated when hearing the truth about his elder ssiter’s addiction to some still legal yet obscure drug. He felt urged to tell mom and dad. 

But they would not be very pleased about those news. 

Dustin did not want himself and Zoey appear as a burden for mom and dad during the summer break. But could he really stay quiet? 

Zoey would not have liked him to talk about it, anyways. But she would go and suffer inevitably from withdrawal symptoms during the break, unless finding another accessible source for the valuable sweets. 

There was quite some reason for impending troubles. 

* * *

3:1
    covers _Zoey 101_ : _Surprise_ and _Chase’s Girlfriend_
3:2
     from _Victorious_
3:3
     covers _Zoey 101_ : _Hot Dean_
3:4
     from _Zoey 101_ : _Robot Wars_
3:5
     from _Drake & Josh_: , alias Scooter from _Zoey 101_ : _Favor Chain_
3:6
     covers _Zoey 101_ : _The Great Vince Blake_ and _Silver Hammers_
3:7
     from _True Jackson VP_
3:8
     covers _Zoey 101_ : _Michael Loves Lisa_
3:9
     from _Zoey 101_ : _Logan Gets Cut Off_
3:10
     song by Drake Bell 
3:11
    covers _Zoey 101_ : _Chase’s Grandmother_ and _Drake & Josh_: _The Storm_
3:12
     cf. _Zoey 101_ : _The Great Vince Blake_
3:13
     from _The iCarly Show_ : _iFight Shelby Marx_
3:14
     from _Unfabulous_ , also _Drake & Josh_: _Honor Council_
3:15
     from _Unfabulous_ : _The Braces_
3:16
     covers _Zoey 101_ : _Quarantine_
3:17
     cf. _Drake & Josh_: _Megan’s Revenge_
3:18
     from _Zoey 101_ : _Logan Gets Cut Off_
3:19
     from _Ned_ _’_ _s Declassified School Survival Guide_
3:20
     from _Unfabulous_


	4. Fourth Year

#  Chapter 4  Fourth Year

##  4:1  Customer Of The Week

4:1

###  4:1:1  Zoey In Rehab

The summer break had been terrible.

Zoey had to be sent to drug rehabilitation camp. And this was horrible. Now the blond Mary Sue was in a really stinky mood.

Dustin was no longer able to talk to her.

Even worse: The health insurance refused to pay for it — because of the lacking approval of Japanese candy as an addictive drug. And it was certainly not cheap.

###  4:1:2  The Long Queue

The new academic years was just a few days old.

But the queues in front of the coffee cart were already very long.

There were three ways for fixing your coffee on the campus:

You could buy it in the cafeteria, or at the coffee cart, or at a vendoir machine.

The problems with the vendor machine have already been dealt with in detail.

Those annoying beasts were still stealing money from the kids.

And the uttermost perverted vice principal Thatcher was ignoring or nihilipilifying the earnest problem.

The cafeterias were not open during much of the time.

This often left kids with no choice but standing in the long queue.

They used to organise in little groups taking turns in waiting in the cue for the coffee cart.

This was not always going out without bigger problems.

Nevel, Dustin, and Robbie formed such a group.

But there seemed to be some sort of a back door.

Each week, **Calvin** , the owner of the cart, decided on some customer of the week.

The lucky dude would be entitle to get some free coffee and be excempted from having to wait in the queue.

The delicate question was though:

What did you have to do in order to be chosen?

Calvin appeared to keep it secret.

This week’s choice was some **Darla Roberts**. Nobody but Calvin knew why.

Dustin, Nevel, and Robbie wondered about a way to find out.

Apparently, many students would try to make the elections.

###  4:1:3  Dancing Competition

Zoey’s grandma had been a great dancer. She had won several awards in New York, so many years ago.

Now there was this announce of a dance contest on the campus of Pacific Coast Academy.

Zoey was desperately willing to participate and to win. After her rehab, she was even more motivated than ever. She would have killed in order to impress in such a contest.

Even more, grandma Brooks was expected to watch Zoey.

But it was not possible to win by dancing by herself: Zoey needed sort of a dance partner.

Too bad most of the known boys sucked at dancing, such as Chase Bartholomew Matthews.

Lola suggested good-looking senior **Gene Conroy**.

Zoey Brooks was desperate enough to accept, inspite of not knowing Gene.

Dustin was worried. He remembered the evil guy, Danny. “Oh, that creep has not been showing up on the campus since the start of the academic year.” Zoey was, according to Dustin, pssibly slipping from one bad thing into the next.

Nevel understood Dustin’s worries.

Fortunately, there was some kind of sort of way of controlling the dance contest itself.

Nevel Papperman was going to be pressent as a pianist, He would make some backup music for the dancers. This allowed Nevel to spy on Zoey and Gene during the dance.

###  4:1:4  Almost Eliminated

The nextday, Gene Conroy was barely escaping from some fatal accident.

Nevel, Dustin, and Robbie had watched the scene.

Michael must have tried to impress Calvin somehow. But things went astray, and randomly bypassing Gene Conroy was almost hit by some golf caddy cart.

Nevel had been able to stop the cart in some miraculous manner. He could not explain it himself. “It musty be some kind of a curse.” He was able to summon a flash from the sky, rendering the vehicle immobile and dysfunctional.

Dustin gasped. “Just like the vendor machine ...”

Robbie nodded.

Nevel went pale. “That is really strange.” He had told the vehicle to rue the day just before standing still.

###  4:1:5  Dancing Floor

The music was playing. The banners were flying. It was the evening of the dance contest.

Dean Rivers had talked a lot.

The first dancing team was Stacey Dillsen and Eric Blonowitz.

During the summer camp on Palomar Mountain, the two of them had met for the first time.

Quinn had introduced them upon that occasion.

Unfortunately, both of them believed in being elegant and agile enough.

Stacey claimed herself as a good hatha yogi and an advanced student of acrobatics.

Eric had watched many martial artists movies and studied quite a few moves.

But there was really no depth in their skills.

Nevel needed to know their music to dance to.

Stacey decided to dance to her _Sassafras Tea_.

Eric nodded solemnly.

Nevel sighed deeply. Fortunately, the tune was easy to play. Nevel started letting his fingers dance all over the keys of the piano.

Eric and Stacey did not get very far, just as expected. After falf a minute, their limbs were all intertwined and knotted.

In addition, Eric had accidentally knocked Stacey dizzy.

The lad in white had to be informed.

Now it was time for the dance of Zoey and Gene.

Nevel asked for the tune to play.

Zoey and Gene claimed, “we are able to just dance to any tune you can play!”

Nevel gasped. “That’s quite some statement.” He pondered briefly. Then he decided to play the _Witches_ _’_ _Dance_ by **Niccolò Paganini** , also known as the devil’s violinist.

The dance could begin. The official duration was ten minites.

And Nevel’s performance was over in time.

But, for some unbeknownst reason, Zoey and Gene were not able to stop dancing. They just had to keep on dancing all night long.

The judges were flabbergasted.

No other competitors had appeared on the scene, either. That was totally strange.

Finally, Gene and Kelly broke down for exhaustion.

Dean Rivers, the main judge of the contest, took the winner’s cup and placed it into their midst.

###  4:1:6  Coffee Cart Ablazing

Calviin was about to reveil the customer of the next week.

There was a standing picture of the lucky one.

Calvin was ready to remove some blankit covering the portrait. “And the winner is ... Quinn Pensky!”

The geek girl looked puzzled. “What have I done?”

Many other students had tried to work hard in order to impress calvin.

But Calvin had chosen Quinn. He explained, 

> The customer of the week will always be a girl.
> 
> This way we may make out, with all the other customers having to wait in the queue.

Nevel’s stomach cramped. “Actually, no! Quinn will not make out with a jerk like you! And you will go and rue this day. Do you rue it? You will rue it until the times of dystopia!”

A flash shot down from the clear blue sky, hitting the coffee cart of the perverse jerk.

The cart was immediately set ablaze.

Nevel was shocked by this consequence of his threat. It served Calvin well.

Many kids applauded, especially those forced to wait in the queue because of Calvin’s habits of flirting with one chosen customer of the week.

_But would things like these occur here regularly?_ Nevel sighed deeply.

##  4:2  Talent Shop

4:2

###  4:2:1  Jadie Hawthorne

Zoey Brooks was excessively excited. Her favourute chick flick author, **Jadie Hawthorne** , was about to come to some library not too far away from Pacific Coast Academy. Needless to say, she definitely wanted to go there. It was still a trip of twenty minutes in a standard car, though, and thus a bit too much for doing it on foot. Zoey needed a responsible adult with a car in order to take aher to and fetch her from said library. Unfortunately, she had asked the wrong teacher, a pregnant woman.

The baby was a bit too impatient and decided to show up right now.

Thus the mother was no longer available as a driver for Zoey.

###  4:2:2  Broken Promise

Dustin was in a really stinky mood. This evening, he would perform in the annual talent show of Pacific Coast Academy, middle school.

During the summer break, Zoey Brooks had promised to watch his performance.

But now that annoying wench known as Jadie Hawthorne was suddenly a lot more important than Dustin.

Nevel sighed. He had come up with a cool trick, learned from Megan Parker. But he wanted Quinn to watch.

The geek queen was not yet sure. She could think of better things to do, such as inventing some new fuel for space rockets.

###  4:2:3  Ravioli

Zoey dared to ask Coco.

But the chubby dormitory adviser was busy eating some lattuce with lots of fat dips. She had failed miserable with all her attempts of becoming less chubby. She was ready to take Zoey downtown, but only in turn for Michael Barret’s recipe for ravioli.

Unfortunately, this was a family secret. Thus Michael was only allowed to prepare some ravioli for Coco, according to the family recipe. There was one problem. Michael was forced to be the partner of Stacey Dillsen for a project in history. They had to build a model of the pyramids of Gizeh in the land of the Egyptians.

###  4:2:4  Who Builds The Pyramids?

Stacey insisted in Michael’s help.

Otherwise Zoey would have to look for someone else to help Stacey build the pyramids. The blond Mary Sue sighed extremely deeply.

There were only a few hours left until the visit of Jadie Hawthorne.

Zoey grew more and more desperate. She wondered about potential helpers for the pyramids.

Her first thought was Chase Bartholomew Matthews.

###  4:2:5  Superhero Toon Club

Zoey Brooks spotted Chase out on the campus.

The bushy guy looked not pleased. He was running around aimlessly.

Zoey wondered why. Then she saw a group of several boys, among them Wayne “Firewire” Gilbert, hunting after Chase.

The dork explained, “The freaks want me as a president for their superhero comic club.” He explained,

> As a younger boy, I often read those comics.
> 
> My uncle had got that book shop.
> 
> I was bored.
> 
> And so on ...
> 
> Really, I am so over it. But I still remember a few facts.
> 
> The freaks were discussing some superhero comics.
> 
> I knew it better and dared to correct them.
> 
> Ever since, they are after me like ...

He could not stay any longer and had to run away. But he was stumbled and caught in a net swung by Wayne “Firewire” Gilbert.

Zoey stopped the creeps. “Hey! You can’t have Chase.”

Wayne cackled. “Why not?”

Zoey explained, “That is because ...” She panted. “Chase has to build a cotton swab model with Stacey.”

Wayne cackled. “Oh, yeah, what a freak!”

Chase was consternated.

Wayne declared, “I will set him free. But I expect something in turn.”

Zoey gasped. “Not again!” She asked, “what would that be?”

Wayne snickered. “Quinn Pensky has invented a new version of her Quinndoze QP.”

Zoey shrugged. “And so?”

Wayne wanted to use that upgraded system, the best ever. In turn, he would not insist in “torturing” Chase any longer.

Chase did still not know anything about the swabs.

Zoey grabbed him and explained the situation.

Chase felt mildly nauseous, wondering, “is it really better to help Stacey with her cotton swabs than to be the president of the superhero comics club?”

But Zoey first had to forward the whole thing to Quinn.

###  4:2:6  Test Target

Quinn was sitting in the part and started with some experiments.

Zoey choked. “Are you trying to poison everything again with your bacteria?”

Quinn grunted, “hey! The bacteria was harmless.”

Zoey shrugged. Then she explained the situation.

Quinn sighed. “OK, I will give them access to the new upgrade of Quinndoze QP. But in order to make up for the time lost by explaining the whole thing to the freaks, I need some test target for my other scientific work.”

Zoey gasped.

But the tight was high.

Zoey would impossibly find someone offering as a test target for Quinn’s experiments with explosives, bacteria, or poison. She was really consternated.

Time was running out. Ultimately Zoey offered herself as a test subject of Quinn’s next experiments. With hindsight, she recognised, “I should have chosen to assist Stacey building the pyramids. I would have beem bored to death. But I would have survived it.”

Quinn’s upcoming experiment was of a different calibre than cotton swabs ...

###  4:2:7  The Virgin Trick

Zoey was now on her way to the book centre of malibu in order to meet Jadie Hawthorne.

This made it impossible for her to watch Dustin’s trick.

Dustin was bitterly disappointed by her absence. But he had to concentrate on his number.

It was the good old trick of sawing a virgin into half.

And that virgin had to be Nevel Papperman.

Robbie Carmichael feared to get his legs cut by Dustin’s saw. He was going to assist Dustin with a few minor actions, though.

Fortunately, Nevel new a way to spice it up.

A few months ago, his beloved Megan Parker had used it in order to revivethe career of outworn star illusionist **Henry Doheny**.4:3

The great star had already been believed dead by most people. He had been found bleeding to no end in a black box, perforated by several swords stuck through the box by Drake Parker and Joshuah Nichols. But the day of his “funeral”, he had appeared back on the stage, alive and well. 

There was no possibility for Nevel to wait for three whole days. But a few minutes were in order.

Robbie gave Dustin a saw on a silver platter.

Dustin was about sharpening this saw with some sandpaper. “Why does sandpaper make me think of Samantha Puckett?”

Nevel grinned. He slipped into the box.

Robbie screwed the container shut.

Dustin could finally start sawing. He concentrated deeply.

The suspense increased.

Nevel grunted, “It tickles!”

Dustin choked. He started sawing faster.

Some warm red liquid squirted from the box.

Nevel passed out.

Dustin looked consternated.

Nurse Krafader4:4 had to get Dustin to open the box and care for apparently lifeless Nevel. But she found no sign of life in Quinn Pensky’s little half brother.

Mr. Bender, the supervisor of the event, was pale. He had to call the emergency team from nearby “St. Illness” hospital.

All of a sudden, Nevel twitched and stood up again. “Hey! What is going on? ”

Thwe audience was flabbergasted.

The nurse looked embarrassed. She had been as wrong as can be.

Nevel was alive and well.

Dustin harvested a lot of applause. The talent shop was won.

###  4:2:8  Disappointed Zoey

Zoey was on her way back home.

Her evening at the book centre had been totally disappointing.

Jadie Hawthorne had been late.

Zoey had not been able to secure a hand signed copy of Jadie’s latest work. And she ha not been allowed to ask Jadie a questian in the segment for questions and answers.

Now it was already dark.

Coco had been behaving like a zombie the way home.

The moonlight was very pale. Some creepy feeling got hold of Zoey.

###  4:2:9  Worst Babysitter Ever

Chase had been a total disappointment as a babysitter.

The toddler had ruined a lot. And he had puked all over Michael’s bed.

Chase had given him stuff to drink from Mr. Bender’s list of “things forbidden.”

The teacher would be really upset now. He was already in a dizzy mood after the talent shop.

And Zoey was awaiting a brute destiny as a test person for one of Quinn’s next experiments.

That sounded like a curse, didn’t it?

##  4:3  Charles Galloway

4:5

###  4:3:1  Evil Teacher

Zoey Brooks had got classes in national economy by **Mr. Hotchins**.

The same thing was valid for Michael Barret and Chase Bartholomew Matthews.

The teacher was already eighty years old and very meant to the students, especially to Stacey Dillsen. This had been the case already fifty years ago.

Michael Barret had heard some strange rumours about the beginning of the time of Hotchins at Pacific Coast Academy.

> Fifty years ago, there was a high school student named **Charles Galloway** at our school.
> 
> That was the first year of Mr. Hotchins at Pacific Coast Academy.
> 
> After a few days only, Hotchins shouted and scared the living daylights out of Charles.
> 
> The student was consternated and started to flee from the campus. He wasn’t seen ever after.
> 
> His tomb is out in the deserts of desolation at some place named **Redstone Gulch**.

Michael was interested in finding this place.

Zoey and Chase rather deemed it a waste of time. They needed to learn for the impending test.

###  4:3:2  The Curse

Of course Nevel Papperman was interested in hearing about the stuff with Galloway. “Mr. Bradford is certainly at least fifty years old.”

Dustin nodded. “He was probably a student back then.”

Nevel imagined Bradford to have been a very evil student. But he had already heard the name _Galloway_ from some different source. “Megan’s step father has once worked for a **Mr. Galloway**.”4:6

Dustin gasped. “Is that one still alive?”

Nevel shrugged. “At least he was alive like three years ago.”

Dustin sighed. “Is there a connection?”

They had to find out.

Nevel shrugged.

> Nobody has ever seen Charles Galloway, alive or dead, since his departure from the campus of Pacific Coast Academy.
> 
> Yet everyone is positive about the location of his last rest, viz. Redstone Gulch.
> 
> What sense does that make?

Dustin shrugged. “None?”

###  4:3:3  Paradise Scene

Quinn Pensky and Lola Martinez were not in the classes of Mr. Hotchins. They were now sitting in their lounge, totally busy with some totally different project.

According to Lola Martinez, good kissers among the boys were to be told from their way of eating an apple. “Already Eve from the bible knew this. Thence she gave Adam some apple.4:7”

Quinn could not take this for granted. “Claims like this one need to be proven scientifically.”

Lola sighed deeply.

Of course this had to bee seen coming.

Nevel stumbled in.

Quinn asked, “Nevel, would you please eat that apple?”

Nevel shrugged. “Are there any germs on it?”

Quinn shook her head. But she squirted it once more with germ killer spray.

Nevel shrugged and took some first bites.

Quinn nodded. “Very good! And now you have to kiss Lola.”

Nevel’s eyes bugged out. “What?”

Lola went pale. Then she screamed and ran away like a fury. She finally lost her last three meals on the pavement of the campus.

Nevel looked still aghast.

Quinn explained the experiment.

Nevel grunted, “what? That’s sick.” He calmed down. “And now you have shooed Lola away.”

Quinn sighed deeply. She stood up and walked out, looking for the drama queen.

Nevel used this information in order to ponder about the aforementioned biblical scene.

> Maybe Lola is right.
> 
> So it was a test for Adam.
> 
> But the envious deity guarding the paradise was upset and kicked mankind out.
> 
> This is a curse, a curse on mankind as a whole.
> 
> But maybe this even refers to the situation at Pacific Coast Academy in particular.

Nevel tried to see some connections.

Several people had hitherto been expelled from Pacific Coast Academy or made sent away.

The departure of Charles Galloway was not officially an expulsion. He had simply been made flee screamimg.

During the last months, Nevel Papperman had come to think about another biblical maledictions, this time from the gospels.

> The curse in question is that of a place named Caphernahum.4:8
> 
> Literally, _capher nahum_ means something like _a place of consolation or of the consolator_.
> 
> _Nahum_ is thus tantamount to Spanish _consuelo_.
> 
> This leads straight to Consuela’s evil revenge.
> 
> _Consuela_ is not even a name.
> 
> The traditional given name would be _Consuelo_. Yeah, that is a male word in Spanish, but the name is for girls.
> 
> The solution is simple. _Consuelo_ is properly a shortcut for _Maria del Consuelo_.
> 
> But this severe blunder is fortunately not of much of a relevance for our problem.
> 
> The popular curse of Consuela is thus a radical misunderstanding of the curse mentioned in the gospels.
> 
> Caphernahum is not to be understood as a town in ancient Galilee. It has to be taken in a much more general sense.
> 
> Most likely, powerful charismatic works had been performed at this site, the campus of Pacific Coast Academy. But the vulgar mass of students, teachers, and the administration had not been worthy of it, or even ridiculed it inspite of the evidence.

Nevel sighed deeply. He had to wonder, “was Charles Galloway that one misunderstood charismatic leader?” He was aware of this being a very special interpretation. But he tried to stick with it for the time being.

Finally, Quinn and Lola returned.

Rather, Quinn dragged Lola in. “Nevel is not a monster. He is very sweet.”

Lola shuddered and glared at Quinn with deadly deprecation.

Quinn commanded Lola, “You want me to test your hypothesis scientifically. This also requires testing it on boys like Nevel.”

Nevel told Quinn to stop it. “This is not going anywhere.”

Lola nodded.

Quinn sighed deeply.

Lola smiled. “Have I already told you about **Lafe Berkowitz**?”

Quinn shook her head.

Lola told Quinn, “I want to test him first!”

Quinn sighed deeply. “Do what you want! But a scientific examination of your hypothesis requires it to be tested not only on boys appealing to you.”

Lola moaned, “aw ... that’s really bad.” She sobbed. “But Lafe knows the way to Redstone Gulch.”

Quinn gasped. “The tomb of the lost student?”

Lola nodded vigorously. “I want to be shown in a movie with the rediscovered tomb.” She hoped to become more popular and more well known by this.

Quinn beamed brightly. “That’s the best occasion for testing some of the latest quinnventions.” She bounced around. “Have I already told you about the general detector for metals and biodegradable materials like lizard pee?”

Lola choked and almost vomited again.

Fortunately her stomach’s contents were already staining the pavement out on the campus.

Nevel gasped. “You don’t really want to go to Redstone Gulch and unearth the tomb of an unblessed corpse?”

Lola shrugged. “Sure, why not?”

Nevel thundered, 

> This may trigger the wild hunt!
> 
> Ghost rideres from hell will chase you all over the world!
> 
> There ain’t no place to hide for good.

Quinn grunted, “Nevel! What are you talking about?”

Nevel Papperman walked away.

Lola remarked, “stupid little bugger!”

Quinn glared at Lola is a not so approving manner.

At the same time, Michael was pressing Chase and Zoey hard to join them in, against the blazing fears of Dustin Brooks.

###  4:3:4  The Nephiew Of Charles

Nevel obtained a reply from Megan Parker.

According to the outcome of her own research, Mr. Galloway, former boss of Walter Nichols, was indeed related to Charles Galloway, more precisely, he was one of his nephiews. The family of Charles Galloway had never seen Charles again since his departure from the campus of Pacific Coast Academy. But now Mr. Galloway was willing to look into the destiny of his deceased uncle Charles. In other words, he would join the kids’ trip to Redstone Gulch, against his wife’s explicit warnings.

Nevel sighed deeply. “Whatever the outcome of the trip to Redstone Gulch is — on the long run it will mean doom and havoc for Pacific Coast Academy.” _Was there a way for Nevel to stop it?_

##  4:4  Win A Flight

###  4:4:1  At Redstone Gulch

4:9

Lafe had not really been a competent guide across the wastelands. He had just been hitting on Lola. According to her theory, Lafe was a good kisser.

Quinn’s inventions saved the gang, though.

Respecting the wish of Mr. Galloway, the gang did not disturb the tomb of the deceased.

Quinn just examined it as much as possible with her recently refined infrasight tools and her improved and updated tomographic detectors. She would have to evaluate the contents of the tomb site.

So, given the expected outcome of Quinn’s impending detailled analysis of the measurements at Redstone Gulch, the rumour confirming Charles R. Galloway’s end were about being confirmed. But the question still remained:

How could those rumours come about, given the absence of eye witnesses for the end of Charles Galloway?

Only Nevel would consider this lack of consistency in a really serious manner.

Given the judgment made by Mr. Galloway, there was nothing more left to be done at the tomb site. The gang was just ready to return to the campus of Pacific Coast Academy. The consequences of opening and looting the tomb would have been more immediate and more dramatic. Alas, even in this state, some creeping danger did persist.

###  4:4:2  Lance Rivers

4:10

Zoey Brooks had already had quite some bad luck with boys. The last failure had been Danny, the guy getting her addicted to drug like Japanese candy. And now she had taken it to a new level.

Her new date was **Lance Rivers** , the very son of Dean Rivers.

Dustin and Nevel did not trust that boy. _Lance was maybe evn worse of a jerk than Logan Reese, Danny, and Glen Davis taken together._

Even Lola and Quinn saw a lot of things wrong with the dandy.

Lance was bribing the girls with gifts possible only due to his kinship with the headmaster.

Nevel and Dustin could not help but starting to spy on him, imagining him as an exorbitantly evil demon, sent forth by Satan in order to corrupt Zoey.

###  4:4:3  Zoey dumps Lance

4:11

A few days later, Zoey and Lance went to Hollywood for the première of a movie.

Lance had manipulated the draw for teh free tikets to that event, making Zoey get selected.

This way, they could enjoy a common trip in a limousine forth and back, and also a cool movie.

But Zoey found out about Lance’s manipulation and dumped in in a dramatic way during the limo trip, stuffing his pants with ice cubes.

Lance was consternated.

For Zoey, everything was now forgiven and forgotten.

But Nevel worried about the greater context.

There had to be done a lot more research on the topic Lance Rivers.

###  4:4:4  Dubious History

4:12

Lance Rivers had graduated the year before from Pacific Coast Academy. This was not hard to figure for Dustin and Nevel. Likewise, Lance Rivers gad been a member of the silver hammers. Of course the list of former hammers was large. And many of them were very much respected.

But Nevel was still polishing his theory concerning the revenge of the “hammers” for Zoey’s behaviour at the recruitment ceremony. 

Did this automatically make any alumnus suspicious? Certainly this would have been too much of a flat statement. But Nevel would not stop doing his research.

###  4:4:5  The Stench Slayer

4:13

Quinn was experimenting with some new essences. Two years before, she had invented a means for removing the stench from a skunk attack. The result, however, could only be applied to the outside of humans without inflicting severe damage. Quinn had now invented something able to fight the obnoxious stench from within.

Samantha Puckett was her test person. The blond devil had recently made it into the _JONAS Book of Records_4:14 for eating the highest amount of barbecue spare ribs withing ten minutes. She had emptied a whole van’s load.

A hitherto unbeknownst grand uncle of Zoey Brooks had just died and left his grand niece such a huge amount of pork spare ribs.4:15

Sam had got the idea of eating them all. And she had claimed to be ready to eat even more. And now Sam was made eat even more, especially a bunch of excessively smelly stuff such as old fishm cheese, onions, ... for a certain purpose.

Quinn’s incorporable stench killer was supposed to neutralise the disguting odor coming forth from Sam’s jaw within seconds.

After a few attempts, the thing worked. But it had got a terrible side effect.

Sam started laughing terribly. Then she ran across the campus and screamed about her secret crush on Fredward Benson and her tattoo. She was close to ripping her own top and her bra off in order to show the tattoo of Fredward Benson to the public.

Apparently, it was now no longer a secret.

Two years ago, a few students had come to know about Sam’s tattoo of Fredward Benson on her chest.

But Carly and Freddie had been totally unknown at Pacific Coast Academy. This had changed recently. Carly and Freddie had started making a web show.

A few fans were already among the students of Pacific Coast Academy. Their chieftain was Stacey Dillsen. Like her boyfriend Eric Blonowitz, she was a **_Creddier_** , i.e. someone favouring a dirty relationship between Fredward Benson and Carly Shay. Stacey was absolutely consternated. “Sam Puckett is a _creddie killer_!” She was really upset and started attacking Sam.

The smell of Stacey’s cotton swab glue finally made Sam sneeze and abandon her insane laughter.

But Quinn had to stop Stacey by making her pass out, using an aforementioned invention already used by Dustin as a weapon against obnoxious squirrels and puppies. She sighed deeply.

But Freddie and Carly would now certainly get informed. What would be the consequences?

###  4:4:6  Trip To Milan

4:16

At the same time, Zoey Brooks had won a trip with the Blix jet to some place of her choice. She had chosen Milan during the next fashion fair.

More precisely, the contest was a challenge making the competritors keep at least one hand at the Blix van for as long as only possible.

The last two contestants had been Stacey Dillsen and Zoey Brooks.

And then the cotton swab girl ran away because of hearing Sam scream about her crush on Freddie.

Thus Zoey was the last one to stand. She was now allowed to choose someone to accompany her.

Lola wanted to meet some Italian men. “I’ve heard about some good kissers living there.”

Many others would have loved to follow Zoey as well.

But the blond Mary Sue decided, “Nevel will come with me.”

Everyone looked aghast.

Zoey explained, “Nevel knows Italian very well. And he is an expert for historical haberdashery.”

There was certain quite a bit to discover in Milan for someone like Nevel. That was very exciting.

But many other kids were now disappointed.

Would the trip to Milan with Nevel be a good choice for Zoey?

##  4:5  Visitors’ Day

4:17

Once or twice a year, the Pacific Coast Academy opened its gates for potential new students.

The kids were guided through through the campus and many of the buildings.

The climax was an interview with established students of the school.

There were two interview sessions, one for high school kids and one for kids of the middle and elementary school classes.

For the high school kids, Zoey Brooks, Chase Matthews, and Stacey Dillsen had been selected.

Likewise, Dustin Brooks, Nevel Papperman, and Ashley Blake were deemed competent for the younger kids.

Beverly, the secretary of Dean Rivers, was responsible for the guided tour.

###  4:5:1  Younger Kids

Dean Rivers had given an annoying speech, as usual. But this time, he did it in front of some hundred of potential new students.

Dustin, Nevel, and Ashley were now rigged and ready for their task. The hall was full of kids.

One of them was **Emilia Brandon**.4:18 She wondered about bugs at the school to stomp.

Dustin replied, “oh, Michael Barret is afraid of bugs.” He advised Millie to ask Michael.

Another girl stood up. “My name is **Morgan Eichman**.”4:19

Dustin nodded. “Your question?”

Morgan asked, “is there any entertainment at this school?” She grunted, “ viz. better entertainment than the crap shown in my dad’s shows?”

Her father was aforementioned principal Eichman from Hollywood School for the Professional Performance Arts. He was also a TV producer. His shows were as totally lame as the productions of his school.

Dustin sighed. He remembered an utterly lame attempt of a lame web show by Chase and Michael. “I wish for a better web show on this campus.”

Morgan sighed.

Nevel nodded solemnly.

Ashley objected, “I am entertaining!” Of ocurse she was a Hollywood starlet. But she was hardly seen at the school.

Then another diva stood up. “I am **Amber Tate**.4:20 I am more entertaining than Ashley.”

The two divas glared at each other.

Nevel gasped. “Aw ... aw ... sounds like a war of divas.”

Dustin yelled the bickering starlets apart. He had never ever before been feeling able to do something like that to celebrities. But now it seemed necessary.

Hosting Lola and Ashley at the same times could be annoying. But adding Amber Tate to the mix was really obnoxious.

Then a boy named **Chuck Chambers**4:21 from Seattle asked about the possibility of locking annoying adults into some closet.

Dustin gasped. “I’ve never thought about it.”

Another kid stood up. “I am Tyler4:22 from San Diego. I like Chuck’s idea.”

Nevel had heard about Tyler as one of Megan’s friends. “That sounds cool!”

One of the kids did not look like a kid at all, but showed a lot of similarity with young adult rock star Drake Parker. And it was this guy to ask the first question. “My name is **Timothy Turner** ,4:23 and I am from Dimsdale in northern California.”

Nevel choked. He had never heard of this town. But he figured, “the town must be named for its dim witted inhabitants.”

Dustin remarked, 

> Hi Tim! This is an event for elementary and middle school kids.
> 
> The older ones are in the hall across the corridor.
> 
> Are you sure you are a kid at all? You look rather like a college boy.

Timmy sighed. “Hey! I’ve stopped growing up at the age of eleven. I am still a fifth grader at Dimsdale Elementary School.”

His parents must have seen a boarding school like this one as the last chance for Timothy Turner to ever grow up.

Dustin and Nevel looked aghast.

Ashley just preferred to ignore the reckless spaz.

Nevel did not trust the situation. “Timothy Turner must be subject to some terrible curse.” Papperman was eager on finding out.

Timmy was curious about the weather here at Pacific Coast Academy, and he asked, “does it ever snow here at Malibu?”

Ashley shook her head.

Dustin chuckled. “Hardly!”

Timmy sighed. “Hey! I wish it to snow!”

Dustin shrugged. “Many kids here dream of a white Christmnas. But that doesn’t mean it ...”

Suddenly, white flakes appeared dancing outside on the campus.

Some kids noticed it. “It snows!”

Nevel, Dustin, and Ashley looked as well.

Dustin guessed, “someone is distributing white feathers on the campus?”

The kids decided to look outside.

Dustin wanted the next kid to ask a question.

Alas, the excitement concerning the snow flakes was just too big. There was no chance to calm anyone down.

Some kids had checked the flakes. “They melt in your hand. They are not white feathers!”

Nevel Papperman concluded for himself: 

> Timothy Turner must have sold his soul to Satan.
> 
> The price has been that of never growing up.
> 
> I have to find his guardian demons and destroy them.
> 
> Only this way will the curse be broken and Timmy be saved.

###  4:5:2  Elder Kids

Stacey, Zoey, and Chase were now ready for the questions.

One kid asked bout a dress code at Pacific Coast Academy.

According to Zoey, everything was OK.

One of the kids jumperd onto the table and ripped his shirt off. “Yeah! No shirt code!”

Zoey was consternated. “What the ...”

The shirtless creep yelled, “hi Pacific Coast Academy! Here comes **Gibby**!”4:24

A girl sitting nearby tried to talk some sense into him. It was aforementioned Carly Shay, a cousin of Megan Parker.

Zoey started sweating. “Why me?” She regretted dearly having denied the existence of any dress code.

Fredward Benson, another guy in the audience, stood up. “I am interested in media technology, web cams, and stuff like that.”

Chase replied, “aw sure, this school has got a long tradition for this sort of stuff.” He suffered from being reminded of his formerly failed attempt of a poor excuse of a web show.

Zoey added, “Quinn Pensky is an expert for all sorts of technology, web or not.” She advised Freddie to ask Quinn.

Freddie shrugged.

The next guy stood up. “I am **Nolan Byrd**.4:25 I wonder about any scandals at this school.”

Zoey and Chase look consternated.

There had certainly been some. But they had not yet been discovered.

Nolan sighed. “Time for reveiling a few of them.”

Zoey shrugged. “The next question!”

A girl in the likeness of Samantha Puckett stood up. “I am **Christina Saunders**4:26 from Frisco and I am addicted to arcades.”

The kids applauded.

Christina asked, “are there any game stations on this campus?”

Chase nodded solemnly. “Oh yeah, there are.” He admitted to being a master of video cart racing.4:27

Christina smiled. “Cool!”

Her mom wanted to get Chris cured from her addiction, and deemed a school like Pacific Coast Academy perfect for that purpose. She was so wrong ...

Finally, the message about the snow spread among the kids. The hall burst into chaos.

Stacey was disappointed. She had not come to answer any question whatsoever.

Zoey shrugged. “Some of the potential new kids are really weird, aren’t they?”

##  4:6  London Calling

4:28

###  4:6:1  News For Dustin

Nevel and Dustin were sitting in their classes for biology.

Mr. Rudolph4:29 explained something about spiders and insects.

Dustin shuddered for disgust. Suddenly, the overhead speakers called Dustin Brooks into the foyer. Dustin wondered why.

Mr. Rudolph had to give him the pass.

Nevel wondered, “they are better no diabolic agents. Or they will so rue it, until the era of dystopia.”

###  4:6:2  Dad’s Job

Dustin arrived in the foyer. Zoey Brooks was already there, but she was not alone.

Their parents were present, too.

Dustin cried “Dad! Mom!” Then he jumped into their arms.

The Brooks had some important news to announce.

Mr. Brooks had been chosen as the new head of the freshly founded European headquarters of his company. He would thence have to move to Europe, more precisely, to London, the capital of good old England.

The kids had to choose between staying here at Pacific Coast Academy for following the parents to London and go to some evn more exclusive boarding school near London named “Covington”.

This appeared very tempting, at least for Zoey Brooks.

Dustin could not befriend with any thought involving a move to England. In particular, he hated the British weather.

The beach reagion near Los Angeles meant lots of sun and warmth.

London, however, was deemed to be the capital of rain, fog, and gales.

Dustin was also thoroughly disgusted by the British kitchen.

Ashley Blake had once been to a movie presentation in London, more precisely, over at Buckingham Palace, the residence of the real royal family. That had been for Malcolm Reese’s movie _Queen Of Kids_. She had been thoroughly abhorred by the English food and had honestly reported about it to Dustin and her other class mates.

Dustin was thus little encouraged to give it a try. He was up to inventing a fake girlfriend in order to give a positive reason for staying at Pacific Coast Academy. But his fears worked anyways. Dustin was allowed to stay here at Pacific Coast Academy.

Zoey, on the other hand, was a different nutcase altogether. She needed to ask her — falsely so-called —friends first. And she had been disappointed by them more than once.

Lola had been the biggest problem. The fledgling Hollywood diva had already hurt Zoey a lot. The top of the iceberg had been Lola’s plot of getting Chase to hire Lola’s cousin Trina in order to make Chase jealous. On the outside, Lola seemed to act in a friendly manner towards Zoey Brooks, like a best friend forever. But all of this was just filthy flattery. Really, Lola feared Zoey to become more famous.

Zoey was not a great actress. She lacked proper talent for acting. But, as indicated by the middle school play, she was able to slip into top roles without doing anything for it. And this made her very dangerous for Lola Martinez.

Lola would have preferred to keep Zoey as close as only possible, though, in order to control and manipulate her better. But now it was almost too late.

###  4:6:3  Sad Tune

Several hours had passed by.

Dustin was saddened by the possibility of being separated from Zoeyby the mighty Atlantic.

Nevel would not want to admit it. But he feared losing Zoey as well. “Did Quinn have to encourage Zoey?”

Dustin shrugged.

Quinn had actually talked about the chances offered by studies abroad, especially an uttermost renowned prep school like Covington’s. Now she regretted having said so. But she could not take it back any more.

Nevel and started performing Rabbie Burns’s renowned _Should Auld Acquaintance Be Forgot_.

Dustin sang along, 

>   
> Should auld acquaintance be forgot  
> And never brought to mind?  
> Should auld acquaintance be forgot  
> And days o’ auld lang syne.
> 
> For auld lang syne, my jo,  
>  For auld lang syne,  
>  We’ll tak a cup o’ kindness yet,  
>  For auld lang syne.
> 
> We twa hae run about the braes  
>  And pu’d the gowans fine;  
>  But we’ve wander’d mony a weary foot  
>  Sin auld lang syne.
> 
> For auld lang syne, my jo,  
>  For auld lang syne,  
>  We’ll tak a cup o’ kindness yet,  
>  For auld lang syne.
> 
> We twa hae paidl’d i’ the burn,  
>  Frae mornin’ sun till dine;  
>  But seas between us braid hae roar’d  
>  For auld lang syne.
> 
> For auld lang syne, my jo,  
>  For auld lang syne,  
>  We’ll tak a cup o’ kindness yet,  
>  For auld lang syne.

It would be the greatest loss for Pacific Coast Academy, ever.

But Dustin could not publically admit to missing Zoey.

First, Zoey would just have told him to come along with her and mom and dad.

Second, the ignoble mass of kids would have downgraded him in the coolness scale by some truly astronomical factor.

And Dustin had worked so hard on appearing really cool.

The ultimate proof had been his excessively astounding performance a few weeks ago upon the Pacific Coast Academy middle school talent show.

Within a few hours, these insane efforts would have been for absolutely naught.

###  4:6:4  Don’t Go!

Zoey had thusly not seen a reason to stay at Pacific Coast Academy.

Nevel would have to act very fast in order to find a way to keep the blond Mary Sue here in California.

Some plane was now rigged and ready in the international airport. In a few hours, it would be bound for London Heathrow, with Zoey Brooks aboard.

Zoey dragged her luggage across the foyer.

Nevel panted heavily. Then he somersaulted Zoey Brooks in a clumsy but determined manner. He grabbed her jacket.

Zoey gasped. “Nevel! What the ...”

Nevel sobbed. “Stay here!”

Zoey grunted, “hey, I have decided to go to London.” She growled. “Bear with it!”

Nevel threw himself into her way. “No, you can’t leave us.”

Zoey turned impatient. “Nevel! Would you please get out of my way?”

Nevel jumped up and squealed, “The Pacific Coast Academy is doomed without you!”

Zoey suspired. “Do you have to start with that dystopia crap again?”

Nevel replied, “yeah, Pacific Coast Academy without Zoey Brooks means **dystopia**.”

Zoey thundered, “the Pacific Coast Academy existed before my arrival, for many a decade. It will sure survive my departure.”

Nevel boomed, “no, it won’t! Pacific Coast Academy had been in a state of decay and degeneration before your arrival. It would have broken down without you.”

Zoey had got a hard time believing.

Nevel remembered Zoey of all her efforts during the last three years. Many things would have taken a worse turn without Zoey’s continual dauntless efforts.

Zoey sighed. “True, but is that a reason for staying here forever?” She pointed out to be not very far from graduating anyways, sooner or later.

Nevel replied, “but your time has not come.”

Zoey shrugged.

Nevel had always tried to make her and others believe in certain diabolic conspiracies going on on the campus.

And many of them circled around getting Zoey out of their way, in one and the other manner.

Zoey grunted, “don’t even dare to connect my dad’s promotion to the position of a overseer in London as part of some diabolic conspiracy!”

Nevel shook his head. “That isn’t even necessary.” He remembered Zoey of the Silver Hammers, of Charles Galloway, of Danny and Lance, and many other weird things. “Please don’t give up!” He started weeping.

Zoey sighed deeply. She did not want to be a coward running away from all those mysterious plots. “OK, I stay!” She yelled it once more across the foyer. She still had to tell her parents about her change of mind. This would not be easy. But it had to be.

##  4:7  The Return Of Dennifer

###  4:7:1  Nevel and Zoey In Milan

There was now a term break at Pacific Coast Academy.

Zoey and Nevel had finally been able to fly to the fashion fair in Milan, thus using up Zoey’s award for the Blix van contest.

Without Nevel’s intervention, Zoey would have totally forgotten about the fair. She was busy with many other things. Nevel had been quite some help for Zoey, and not just by knowing Italian.

Unfortunatley, the old quarters of that city were full of memories of decadence and corruption of the past.

And of course Nevel connected this with sooner or later impending doom for mankind.

Unfortunately, the vacations were incredibly short.

The plane took off into the Italian spring sky.

###  4:7:2  New Roomie

4:30

The new term also meant a few new kids at Pacific Coast Academy.

Chase and Michael had finally got a new room mate, a certain **James Garrett**. They had already been feeling horribly lonely since the departure of Logan Reese. These days had now come to an end. But having to share the room with a third person would also have its disadvantages.

Another new pupil was **Brooke Margolin**.4:31 She had just arrived from Rio de Janeiro in Brazil.

Part of her ancestry was from there.

Mark del Figgalo was totally addicted to the new girl.

His former girlfriend Courtney had switched to another school after middle school.

Also Millie Brandon — still an elementary school kid — was now a new student at Pacific Coast Academy. 

Lisa Perkins seemed to know her very well.

After all, the most important new kid was aforementioned James Garrett, a tall blond girls’ heartthrob.

This was hardly an accident.

And Nevel Papperman, now sitting in the cafeteria with Dustin Brooks, even remembered the reckless rake. “James is no other than Dennifer!”

Dustin gasped. “You mean that Dennifer, the one day crush of Stacey Dillsen?” He pondered. “Yeah, that makes sense.”

Nevel nodded solemnly. “It so totally does make sense.”

Dustin smiled. But his smile faded away in a moment.

Nevel grunted, “Dennifer, or James, is really fishy. He stinks worse than Kazu’s kitchen junk.”

Dustin gasped and wrinkled his nose.

Nevel explained, “James Garrett, or Dennifer, must be a girl-eating demon.”

Dustin started shivering. “And if he tries to seduce Zoey?”

Nevel nodded, looking sterny at Dustin. “We have to prevent him from doing so, with fire and sword!”

Dustin trembled, “fire and sword?”

Nevel looked stone cold.

They had to observe James more closely.

Samantha Puckett remembered that tall blond guy, too.

He had been at Ridgeway, once upon a time.

The girls over there were addicted to him, including Carly Shay.

He had got a blond girlfriend named **Stefanie Javers**.4:32

###  4:7:3  Snoop The Rake

Dustin and Nevel took turns following James secretly all over the campus. They stayed in contact by means of cellular phones.

Now Nevel was hiding behind some shrubbery. He was shocked when seeing Zoey come closer to James.

The juniors seemed to talk about dinner and Sushi Rox.

Nevel whispered into his cellular phone, reporting back to Dustin.

Zoey’s little brother started shivering. “Are they dating?”

Nevel sighed. “Maybe?” He suspired briefly. “Just going together to dinner does not mean dating.”

Dustin tried hard to believe this. He had previously asked Zoey about the new guy.

The blond Mary Sue had disclaimed everything.

Now Zoey and James were walking towards Sushi Rox.

Recently, Dustin had asked Mrs. Lee for a job at Sushi Rox. Unfortunately he needed to turn thirteen first, according to the campus rules, in order to work as a waiter or a delivery boy. Dustin needed money for a web camera for his mother in order to be able to talk to her over the interweb. Alas, he was already allowed to drag out the kitchen rubbish. Of course he would not earn any tips for that, but more than nothing.

And this was his occasion of sneaking into the pub in order to observe James and Zoey more closely.

###  4:7:4  Sushi Rolls

Dustin was in the kitchen, waiting for Mrs. Lee’s next command to take out the smelly fish rests. Of course he kept one eye and a half, whenever possibel, on a certain table in the guests’ room.

James and Zoey were sitting silently at their table, waiting for the ordered sushi.

Zoey had ordered her usual tempura rolls.

James seemed to be addicted to California rolls.

There was yet nothing important going on between them.

Dustin hid behind a platter of tuna rolls in order to avoid getting recognised by his elder sister.

James and Zoey started talking a bit.

According to Zoey, Lola and Quinn were hankering after James.

Nevel would not have liked te latter alternative. “But probably James is only into blondes?”

Anyways, there had not been anything worse going on in the sequel.

###  4:7:5  Kiss In The Moonlight

James and Zoey had left the building.

Dustin had to stay in Sushi Rox.

Thus Nevel took over. He was following them from shrubbery to shrubbery.

And James and Zoey had now arrived at the campus spring.

Nevel sighed. “Two many creepy things are going on neart the fountain ...”

A few seconds later ...

All of a sudden, the filthy lips of James Garrett ended up in the face of Zoey Brooks.

Nevel was close to puking his guts out.

James seems to have heard some voices.

Zoey calmed him down. She was still blushing from the lip contact. “It was just a giant squirrel.” Or so she thought.

But now Nevel had to report back to Dustin, just in whispers.

The little brother of Zoey Brooks was totally consternated and fell into a container filled with soy sauce. That was too much for Dustin to bear. The catastrophe was now complete.

Zoey Brooks had started dating James Garrett. the blond demon.

Nevel figured the worst things coming. _Was there a way for him and for Dustin to stop the progress of this creepy decadence?_ Nevel feared time running out on them. But he could not tell why.

##  4:8  Peanuts

###  4:8:1  Chocolate Cover

4:33

Quinn Pensky was sitting alone in her dormitory room. She had bought a family package of choconuts.

Those are peanuts covered with choolate.

Alas, Quinn was allergic to various sorts of “nuts”.

As well known by nerds like Quinn Pensky, peanuts are no nuts at all.

But the choconuts were pretty unexpensive during that week. 

It was a local action by the groceries.

And Quinn was saving money for the summer break in “Camp Nerd”. Thus she was just licking the chocolate off the cores and left the latter in the bowl. Then she left the room.

Later, Lola Martinez entered that dorm. The hot latina was attracted by nuts. She lunged forward in an attempt of securing the bowl of peanuts for helself.

Nevel Papperman stumbled in, looking for his half sister.

Lola was rigged and ready for swallowing the first of the peanuts.

But Nevel’s face made her always choke.

Nevel knew about Quinn’s allergy and her habit of licking chocolate off things. “Don’t eat the peanuts! Or you will rue it! Until the times of dystopia ...”

Lola grunted, “hey! Give up on your stupid talk about devils and demons and dystonia.”

Nevel thundered, “dystopia!”

Lola shrugged, “whatever ... those peanuts are mine, all mine!” She insisted, “you won’t get any of them!”

Nevel started talking about Quinn’s naughty habit of licking off edibles and let the rest stand on the table. “Those things are full of germs!” But his warnings fell like silent raindrops.

Lola took it all as a very mean trick for the sole purpose of stealing her peanuts. “Go away!” She looked at Nevel in a perversely diabolic manner.

Nevel sniffled. “I smell Quinn’s saliva on the nuts!”

Lola just laughed, and in an excruciatingly hysterical manner.

Nevel shrugged and walked away, filled with despair, in order to look for his half sister elsewhere.

###  4:8:2  Stalked

4:34

Dustin felt stalked by Daisy Lee, the daughter of the owner of Wok Star and Sushi Rox

The little bugger often tried to hit on him.

Dustin did not want to tell Zoey about it.

His elder sister would have chopped off Daisy’s head with Michael’s golf club and chipped it.

But Dustin did not actually dislike Daisy. He was just more picky and had got another concept of girls. Unfortunately, Dustin still needed the money from working for Sushi Rox. Otherwise he would not be able to afford a web cam for his mother.

Zoey had promised to pay half of it. But her dirty affair with James had made the blond Mary Sue almost forget about Dustin.

###  4:8:3  Lola turns sick

4:35

Unfortunately, Lola Martinez did soon thereafter have to pay the price for ignoring Nevel’s warning. Three days later, she was plagued by spasmic pains in her stomach and her intestines.

Dr. Hollywood considered seriously to cut a hole into the guts of Lola Martinez, with his new laser supported power surgery tools, invented by Quinn Pensky.

But Quinn could dissuade her mentor. “The right medications would serve Lola.”

Doc Hollywood wondered, “which medications?”

Quinn had brewed a few mixtures of ingredients in her secret laboratory, along with Mindy Crenshaw.

Their masterpiece was the composition of a cure against derma temiculitis, a disease making your hands and feet turn all green.4:36

This would save many people from repeated painful syringe stings into their limbs.

But Lola was not sure. 

> Your saliva have turned me sick.
> 
> So your piss will cure me?
> 
> Am I supposed to believe this?

Quinn replied, “This is not my piss! It is that of my porcupine, **Mr. Tibbles**.4:37 ”

This, of course, was too much for Lola to bear. Fortunately her stomach was now empty.

Lola sprang up and disappeared like a flash of lightening.

Quinn cried, “wait! You will ...”

It was too late. Lola was gone.

Quinn had to fear the worst. Now she started accusing herself of being the culprit. “Why did I have to let the peanuts lie around?”

###  4:8:4  The Walk

4:38

Two days later, there was a charity walkathon at Malibu, starting and ending at the parking lot of Pacific Coast Academy.

The kids were still worried about the absence of Lola Martinez.

But Zoey and Dustin were still going to participate as a team.

The same was valid for Nevel and Quinn.

Lola had still not reappeared. She had even missed out on an auditioning for a new movie by Malcolm Reese. And she had been looking foreward to this in an absolutely crazy manner.

**Beck Oliver** ,4:39 a middle school student from Hollywood School for the Professional Performance Arts and potential male star of the movie, had already asked thrice.

The fear of Quinn’s medications or Doc Hollywood’s surgery had totally terrified the Hollywood diva.

Also, Lola had started learning to knit. She did not want to go to knitting classes, though.

The reason for this was the following.

There were not many boys in those knitting classes. The ones in there were terribly bad kissers and ugly dweebs, especially Mark del Figgalo.

The red hot southern Californian spring sun was now burning mercilessly up the hill.

Aforementioned Mark del Figgalo broke down after half a mile only.

Dr. Hollywood had to reanimate him using some advanced shock therapy, using devices and medications invented by Quinn Pensky.

Quinn and Nevel made ten miles.

That was already a lot for someone like Nevel.

But Dustin and Zoey even made twenty miles.

This was a new record at Pacific Coast Academy.

But Nevel and Quinn had made a discovery: “Lola’s foot prints!”

Nevel’s fine nose had done it again.

Zoey only heard about it after the end of the walkathon. She would have done something immeditely. But now she was up to looking for Lola.

Nevel almost compared the situation with the departure of Charles Galloway, so many years ago. “But Lola is a vulgar Hollywood wench. She is certainly not a messiah.”

###  4:8:5  Lola is found

The night after, dauntless Millie Brandon took the time to look for Lola Martinez, following the foot prints.

Lola Martinez returned to the campus even ere the rise of sun.

Zoey had already been awfully worried.

Strangely, the heat of the desert had cured Lola from the disease.

But she was close to dehydration.

Doc Hollywood forbade Lola to drink any coffee for the next days.

Alas, having missed out on the auditions made Lola really upset at herself.

###  4:8:6  Bad Anticipations

Junior Prom was now approaching at the speed of light.

Zoey Brooks was hell bent on going there with James Garrett.

But Lola and Quinn still envied her.

Dustin and Nevel continued on being suspicious and kept on snooping their dinner dates in order to protect Zoey from James’s fatal charms.

This included one dinner date off the campus.

Where was that going to?

Even Megan Parker was clueless. But she knew an expert: “ **Malika** ,4:40 the greatest teenage witch ever!”

Dustin and Nevel had not yet heard of her, let alone met her. But this was about to change.

##  4:9  Junior Prom

4:41

###  4:9:1  Fortune Cookies

According to an old tradition at Pacific Coast Academy, some middle school kids were hired in order to help for the preparation and the organisation of the prom ball.

This year, Dustin Brooks and Nevel Papperman had been chosen.

More precisely, Mrs. Lee and Kazu would let them help with serving the prom buffet.

Dustin was quite excited. But, on the other hand, the stupid conflict with Daisy Lee was still there.

This year, fortune cookies were part of the prom buffet. This was of course the fault of Mrs. Lee.

Nevel and Dustin were preparing the snippets for the cookies.

Nevel Papperman had chosen an old Chinese book known as the _Tao Te King_. He used the translation by one of his heroes, **Aleister Crowley**.

But Mrs. Lee did not deem the translation all the way correct. Thus she had told her niece **Evelyn Kwong**4:42 to help Nevel with the translation.

Evelyn liked Nevel. But she did not dare to compete with Megan Parker.

Dustin, on the other hand, wanted to come up with his own cookie phrases.

At the prom, Dustin and Nevel would also carry the snacks from the bar to the prom hall.

###  4:9:2  The Locket

Just before prom, James had made a particular valuable gift to Zoey.

A polished medallion, long since in the family of the Garretts, was now adorning the throat of Zoey Brooks.

An inscription said 

> I love you.
> 
> James

Lola and Quinn were totally excited when hearing about those news. They considered the locket as an official engagement offer. Inspite of having envied Zoey, they were now totally happy for her. Or maybe they were still deadly envious and just feigning happiness?

Nevel and Dustin had not yet come to see the medallion.

But Nevel knew many stories about cursed magical lockets.

Dustin was totally scared by Nevel’s accounts. He pondered fearing for Zoey’s life.

But telling Zoey about it would have been in vain.

The blond Mary Sue was now totally inaccessible to criticism, well meant and pernicious alike.

Nevel could not really tell about his half sister’s current feelings for Dennifer.

Sometimes, Quinn was for him less accessible than a book of seven seals.

Nevel was worried in either case. He regretted almost having dissuaded Zoey from going to London.

But creeps like James Garrett were probably everywhere, with or without diabolic possession.

This plain and simple fact did nothing to make Nevel feel any better, though.

###  4:9:3  Maui

Mr. Brooks, the father of Dustin and Zoey, had got contacts to the manager of the world wide renowed hotel chain **Chambrolay**..

His enterprise shared a building complex in London with the headquarters of the European branches of said famous hotel chain.

This year, he had arranged a summer job for Zoey as a bay watch on Maui, one of the isalnds of the archipel of Hawaii.

Zoey was allowed one person for company. And she had chosen said James.

Unfortunately, Dustin was not invited to Hawaii. He would thus not be able to control Zoey by any means.

In the worst case, Zoey would return from her trip to Maui as a pregnant teenage girl, with James out of sight.

Dustin supposed James to be one of that sort of guy.

And there was really nothing to do about it.

###  4:9:4  Begin Of The Ball

Nevel and Dustin had transferred a whole wheel barrow’s load of fortune cookies from Sushi Rox to the prom hall. They were now distributing them in small baskets. Then they had to place the dips onto the tables.

There were several sorts from everywhere in the world.

Nevell’s favourite was tapenade, a blend of capers, garlic, and olives.

Megan Parker had once upon a time invented some excessively tasty red salsa.4:43

This was going to be Nevel’s soon to come favourite tip.

Mrs. Lee and her niece Evelyn had already bought the recipe off Megan for a few thousands of bucks, for monopolistic use in Californian restaurants.

Dustin’s favourite dip was baba ghenouche.

Lola still mistook it as the name of some football player. By the way, the Hollywood diva was loitering all alone on the prom. She had turned down a few ugly dweebs before the event.

Quinn Pensky was also forced to be lonely at her junior prom ball.

Both of them refused to admit to hankering after James. They still seemed to be glad for Zoey.

But there hypocrisy started turning more and more obvious for Nevel.

He handed them their fortune cookies and told them about Lao Tsu, the author of the _Tao Te Ching_.

Lola was totally annoyed. She palmed a cracker with Megan’s salsa. “Not bad!”

Wayne Gilbert and Mindy passed by, walking hand in hand.

Quinn suggested, “Nevel could be your last minute prom date.” She just wanted to get rid of her “pal”.

Lola choked and threw up, staining Quinn’s face with the content of her stomach. “No way!”

Quinn looked aghast.

Nevel shook his head. “Lola is too dumb for my taste.”

The hollywood diva wanted to protest. But then she followed Quin to the dancing floor.

Zoey and James moved in.

Dustin offered his sister a fortune cookie.

James wanted one, too.

Zoey asked her lover boy, “will you mouthfeed it to me?”

Now it was Dustin’s turn to throw up. At least he did not have to read the text of Zoey’s fortune cookie.

###  4:9:5  Let the music play!

A prom was pointless without any good music.

Zoey had tried to hire Drake Parker, just as back then.

The greatest teenage rock star ever from San Diego had unfortunately not been able to come to Pacific Coast Academy because of some tour.

But the latter fact had been subject to change.

More precisely, Megan had viciously postpone the tour to the summer break.

This way, Drake Parker was able to perform at the junior prom.

His band consisted of several hot guys.

Prom single Lola decided to sneak into their midst and hang out with them.

Unfortunately, drummer boy Gary4:44 was definitely no such thing as a good kisser.

Drake played _Up Periscope!_4:45 , Lola’s favourite song. He wondered, “Lola would look good on our music video, wouldn’t she?”

The other members of his band nodded rigorously.

Lola smiled sweetly.

This looked like a great chance.

Quinn was now left all alone.

Mindy sighed. “You should have invited some of the guys from the science fair.”

Quinn looked puzzled.

Mindy told her colleague, “at least they respect you.”

Quinn shrugged and sighed deeply. She was still keeping one eye on James, and also Zoey. Originally, she had been up to firing laser beams at Zoey’s gown.

But Nevel had disabled the batteries.

Thus Quinn had to come up with other plans.

Stacey Dillsen and her beloved Eric Blonowitz appeared in an outfit made all of cotton swabs and white yarn. The prom thus made Stacey get a bit over the impending divorce of her parents.

Zoey and James danced like nobody’s business.

The blond Mary Sue proudly exhibited the locket gifted by her loverboy.

Nevel could even see some of the reflexes. He had got an uneasy feeling.

Malika would only arrive at the beginning of the next academic year.

But that locket would be one of the main topics to talk about.

Too bad Zoey would already wear it all the time on Maui.

It had thus the potential of corrupting her completely during the weeks of the summer.

And Nevel would not be around in order to save the blond Mary Sue from doom ad gloom.

Drake started playing louder and louder.

Wendy was sweeping Michael across the dance floor. She had got hard times remembering her insane crush on Michael.

Adelaide Singer and Chase Bartholomew Matthews were making a few jokes.

Alas, Michael tried to talk to Wendy about some recent discovery. Until a few hours ago, he had not been able to drive a stick switched car. And now he had learned it from some strange elderly Japanese guy like **Mr.!Takato**.

Nobody had ever seen the old creep on the campus, barring Michael. He was almost about believing himself insane.

Wendy believed Michael, unlike many other people on the campus. But she could not make any sense of it.

Nevel overheard Wendy’s and Michael’s conversation. He could not remember any such guy.

But the term “Mr. Takato” appeared to rang a bell in him, an alert bell.

Who or what was that mystery man?

* * *

4:1
    covers _Zoey 101_ : _Dance Contest_
4:2
     covers _Zoey 101_ : _Favor Chain_
4:3
     from _Drake & Josh_: _The Great Doheny_ , also dropped in _Zoey 101_ : _Logan Gets Cut Off_
4:4
     from _Zoey 101_ : _Dance Contest_
4:5
     covers _Zoey 101_ : _The Curse Of PCA_
4:6
     cf. _Drake & Josh_: _Two Idiots And A Baby_!
4:7
     cf. _Book Of Genesis_
4:8
     cf. _Gospel According To Matthew 11:23_!
4:9
     continues _Zoey 101_ : _The Curse Of PCA_
4:10
     covers _Zoey 101_ : _Son Of A Dean_
4:11
     continues _Zoey 101_ : _Son Of A Dean_
4:12
     continues _Zoey 101_ : _Son Of A Dean_
4:13
     covers _Zoey 101_ : _Hands On A Blix Van_
4:14
     from _The iCarly Show_ : _iWant A Record_
4:15
     cf. _Zoey 101_ : _Zoey’s Ribs_
4:16
     continues _Zoey 101_ : _Hamds On A Blix Van_
4:17
     covers _Zoey 101_ : _PCA Confidential_
4:18
     from _Zoey 101_ : _Rollercoaster_ , and a surname from the actress’s part in some third-party owned work
4:19
    from _The iCarly Show_ : _iCarly Saves TV_
4:20
     from _The iCarly Show_ : _iCarly Saves TV_
4:21
     from _The iCarly Show_
4:22
     from _Drake & Josh_: _I Love Sushi_
4:23
     from _Fairly Odd Movie_
4:24
     from _The iCarly Show_
4:25
     from _Shredderman Rules!_
4:26
     from _Best Player_
4:27
     cf. _Zoey 101_ : _Michael Loves Lisa_
4:28
     c overs _Zoey 101_ : _Goodbye, Zoey!_
4:29
     mentioned in _Zoey 101_ : _Lola Likes Chase_
4:30
     covers _Zoey 101_ : _Rumors Of Love_
4:31
     from _Zoey 101_ : _Quinn Misses The Mark_
4:32
     from _The iCarly Show_ : _iLike Jake_
4:33
     covers _Zoey 101_ : _Anger Management_
4:34
     continues _Zoey 101_ : _Anger Management_
4:35
     continues _Zoey 101_ : _Anger Management_
4:36
     cf. _Drake & Josh_: _Mindy Loves Josh_!
4:37
     from _The iCarly Show_ : _iFight Shelby Marx_
4:38
     continues _Zoey 101_ : _Walkathon_
4:39
     from _Victorious_
4:40
     from _The iCarly Show_ : _iSpeeddate_
4:41
     covers _Zoey 101_ : _Chasing Zoey_
4:42
     from _Ned_ _’_ _s Declassified School Survival Guide_
4:43
     cf. _Drake & Josh_: _Peruvian Puff Pepper_
4:44
     from _Drake & Josh_: _The Storm_
4:45
     song by Drake Bell


	5. Fifth Year

#  Chapter 5  Fifth Year

##  5:1  Grisly Return

###  5:1:1  Summer Camps

During the summer break, Nevel had been to Camp Classic with a scholarship for both the piano and the recorder.

He was also gifted with the ability of the absolute audition.

Megan Parker had been there as well.

It was one of their hitherto rare occasions for making music together. Unfortunately, the recent terrifying events at Pacific Coast Academy had not allowed them to enjoy the camp as much as anticipated. The pernicious charms of James Garrett and the mystery of Mr. Takato, the teacher of the zen of driving a stick switch car, had not given them any break.

At least they had come to know a few cool people, such as **Mikey Jay**5:1 from New York City, America’s greatest talent of the triangle.

Their camp adviser had been one **Lars Balthasar** ,5:2 the world-renowned violoncellist.

Aforementioned Obo twins had been present as well.

Quinn had been at Camp Nerd, a really cool camp for the smartest kids in America. She had come to meet a few very interesting kids, such as Kirby Cadworth Bancroft and Morgan Grey5:3 from Tulsa in Oklahoma, **Logan Mitchell**5:4 from Minnesota, **Mary Ferry** and **Duane Ogilvy** from some smalltown in New Jersey,5:5 aforementioned Nolan Byrd from Cedar Valley, and many more.

The adviser of the camp was aforementioned “Cal”.

Quinn had hitherto met him on a few occasions. Now she had been able to admire him more closely. And she was almost swooning.

Maybe this let her get over James.

###  5:1:2  Back On The Campus

The red hot Californian summer sun was still burning mercilessly up the coastal hills of southern California. But an occasional tender breeze coming in from the waves and the brine of the mighty Pacific kept on moderating the heat.

Student drop day was always consuming the nerves of pupils and staff of the school. For the seniors, it was probably their last drop day at Pacific Coast Academy.

Nevel was wondering about Zoey’s days on Maui. He feared her in pieces, abused mercilessly by diabolic James Garrett. He was going to ask Dustin as soon as possible.

There were also quite a few new faces on the campus.

Dustin recognised Carly Shay, Fredward Benson, and Gibby from the visitors’ day. He had only seen one of their video clips, and he deemed it really cool, especially Carly. Thus he decided to help them getting started instead of telling Nevel Papperman about his summer break in London.

Sam was already faster, though.

Her cousin Chris Saunders, aforementioned arcade freak, was equally new. She got Melanie to help her, though.

Dustin also stumbled across adult elementary school kid Timothy Turner. “You really look like Drake!”

Timothy nodded. “He is my favourite cousin.”

Dustin shrugged.

Timothy remarked, “this campus is cool, with the beach and the pools and stuff.”

Dustin nodded. “You will get accustomed to it.” Then he sighed deeply. “There isn’t a water chute yet, though.”

Timothy shrugged. “Water chutes are cool. There sshould be one.” He looked nervously around. “I wish to have a water chute on the campus!”

Dustin sighed. “Too bad nobody will make our wishes come true!” 

Timothy whispered, “maybe?”

Dustin asked, “what is that supposed to mean?”

Timothy whistled innocently.

Dustn shrugged and moved on in order to dispose with his luggage.

Being a fifth grader, adult Timothy Turner had to live in the dormitory block for the elementary school boys. This was deemed a bit creepy by some people at Pacific Coast Academy. But there had never been any precedence case about adult elementary school kids.

###  5:1:3  Back At The Dorm

Dustin Brooks was finally back to his dormitory room.

Nevel had already arranged his luggage.

Robbie Carmichael was not yet here, for one or the other reason.

Nevel guessed, “he will be in his tree house.”

Stacey Dillsen had actually built that one.

It was located at the backside of the campus, not far from the dunes. Unfortunately, it was build on sandy grounds and would not last for more than another year in that position.

That was definitely not Stacey’s fault. The school administration, guided by Dean Rivers, had not granted a better place for it.

Now Nevel was curious about Dustin’s report.

Dustin was apparently not pleased. “Zoey is now so ... different!” He sobbed piteously.

Nevel had sensed that coming.

Dustin did not really know about any event on Maui.

Usually, Zoey would have told him readily about her adventures. But this summer was different.

Dustin felt treated like dirt.

Nevel needed to find out more about the amulet. He deemed it responsible for the changes of Zoey Brooks. Like Dustin, he wanted the good old Zoey back.

Megan had told Nevel about Magic Malika, both before the summer break and during the camp.

Malika was a sophomore girl, like Melanie Puckett.

The sophomores were still in the same dormitory blocks as the year before.

Thus Nevel decided to look them up.

Finally, Robert Carmichael walked in. He sighed for relief. “The tree house is still standing.”

Dustin moaned, “that’s good for you, ain’t it?”

Robbie glared aghast.

###  5:1:4  Magic Malika

Dustin and Nevel had made it to the sophomore girls’ lounge before curfew.

Malika was already here. She was hard to confuse. The witch kept on bending spoons with her mental force, talking about her application for one reality TV show for mentalists. “Spoonbending is too normal these days!” She sighed.

Nevel addressed her on site. “My name is Papperman ... Nevel Papperman.”

Malika span around and started scrutinising Nevel’s aura. “OK, that’s it.” What exactly had she been looking for in his aura?

Dustin shrugged.

Nevel told Malika about the whole misery.

Malika Dooley mutter some even more mysterious stuff.

The mention of Mr. Takato appeared to ring a bell with her as well.

Malika sighed. “Mr. Takato must be a prophet of doom.”

Nevel had feared that.

The destiny of Pacific Coast Academy was at stake.

At the same time, Dustin appeared very interested in Chris Saunders, aforementioned cousin of Samantha Puckett.

Unfortunately, his courage was not really sufficient for fessing up.

Dustin stammered, “do you want to see my video games?”

Chris replied, “sometimes ... maybe?”

Dustin was bitterly disappointed. He had expected better from an arcade princess.

Malika Dooley had now also heard about the amulet of Zoey. She sighed deeply. “My my psychometric skills, I am potentially able to read more informations from the amulet than usually accessible by your normal senses.”

Nevel Papperman nodded solemnly.

Of course, malika needed to get somewhere near at the dubious locket.

And mentally corrupted Zoey Brooks was hardly going to borrow her the amulet voluntarily, or even showing her the mysterious item.

There had to be some other plot.

###  5:1:5  The Water Chute

Dustin and Robbie woke up in the morning.

Robbie wanted to go to his treehouse. And he wanted Dustin to come along with him. “It’s too scary to be alone out on the campus at that time.”

Dustin shrugged. He started running across trhe campus square, past the pools.

But what was that?

A standard sized water chute was attached to the big pool.

Dustin gasped. He told Robbie about his former conversation with new student Timothy Turner, cousin of Megan and Drake.

Robbie looked puzzled. “Wow!”

Dustin shrugged.

Robbie scratched his head. For the time being, he did not really care about the origin of the water slideway. He forget about his tree house and climbed the water chute in order to take a ride.

Dustin followed his pal, thinking “Nevel will sure accociate this event with Satan and other evil demons.” But he could not follow him there. “Water chutes are so much fun! Yay!”

The boys squealed gleefully when sliding down the chute and hitting the water of pool.

What was really going on?

##  5:2  PacRats

5:6

###  5:2:1  Bender’s Accident

Almost two weeks had gone by since the establishment of the greatest water chute ever in Malibu. The origin was not yet known.

But many kids used the slideway gratefully during their spare time.

This was especially the case for the youngest ones, such as a certain Guppy5:7 from Seattle, little brother of aforementioned freak Gibby. This was totally troublesome.

Gibby was forced all the time to give Guppy a piggy back ride up the ladder leading to the top end of the slideway. This costed his last energy.

Many a student even used to skip sone or the other class in order to use the fantabulous water chute up all day long.

The creeps in the administration were still accusing each other of having given the permission for establishing the chute over knight next to the biggest pool. Dean Rivers, for example, was particularly upset.

Mr. Bradford would soon show up on the campus for the yearly circumspection, right for the opening of homecoming week. The water chute would not exactly please him.

Guppy was still unable to understand this. He was barely able to speak.

Gibby was tired of feigning to be sick in order to let Guppy use the chute all day long.

Robbie Carmichael remarked, “his teachers should have a car crash, getting his classes cancelled.”

Timothy Turner replied, “That would be cool!” He suspired. “I so wish it! I really do!”

Dustin shrugged. “That wish sounds a bit mean.”

But Timmyy did not care.

Suddenly, the megaphone sounded across the lounge. “Attention, pupils of Pacific Coast Academy!” It was used by Beverly,5:8 the secretary of the administration.

The pupils gasped.

The voice of Beverly continued, “According to some emergency news, Mr. Bender was stuck with his car on top of some new lamp post on the road from Malibu to the campus.”

The pupils started laughing in an hysterical manner.

As a consequence, today’s classes with Mr. Bender had to be cancelled until the release of the car.

###  5:2:2  The Chain Letter

Fredward Benson and Gibby were sitting in the lounge.

Shirtless Gibby told Freddie, have you already forwarded my chain letter to five kids?

Freddie shook his hed. “Why should I?”

Gibby trembled. “It means bad luck to refuse to do so.”

Carly chimed in. “Yeah, lots of bad things have already happened.”

Dustin shivered. “Maybe Mr. Bender was one of those poor guys refusing to respect the last wish of Consuela.”

Gibby nodded. “It’s a curse!”

Sam replied, “Gibby’s chest is a curse!”

Carly remarked, “not funny!”

Fredward Benson panted heavily. “Ladies, there is no such thing as curses, maledictions, bad omens, and similar stuff.”

Carly glared at Fredward with disbelief.

He had been hitting on her since the start of middle school. But his stubborn materialistic demeanour had always dissuaded her from replying his feelings.

Freddie was uttermost likely only interested in the physical. Sam was thus certainly a better choice for him. But this was now not the very issue at hand.

Carly feared the worst to happen due to Fredward’s stubborn demeanour.

Nevel Papperman shook his hand. “They are so naïve!” He knew, of course, the proper meaning and more or less origin of the _Curse Of Consuela_.

And this one had nothing to do with any chain letter whatsoever.

But Nevel understood Carly to deserve better than stubborn Fredward, the fool unable to accept the existence of curses and dystopia.

Carly, Freddie, and Sam had now started a web show, a continuation of their attempt from the times back at Seattle.

Freddie and Sam were so predestined as a couple, sooner or later.

But Carly would be a third wheel of a bike in such a case.

Nevel had to find someone more suited for Carly. He had already got an idea. But he was not pronouncing it. He was still pondering the bad luck of Mr. Bender. It seemed to have occured immediately after one of Timothy Turner’s absurd wishes. Was that an accident? Nevel could by no means believe it. He muttered silently, “Timothy must be possessed by Satan, and he needs an urgent excorcism before tearing the whole of Pacific Coast Academy down into the abyss of doom and dismay.”

###  5:2:3  Spencer’s Addiction

Carlotta Shay’s elder brother, Spencer, was a freelance artist. He was sculpting for various customers.

This time, some baldheaded creep had ordered a sculpture of a labradoodle, viz. a blend of a poodle and a Labrador dog.

Usually, this would not have been even a trace of a problem for Spencer.

But since today, he was horribly distracted. He had found an old arcade machine running the game _PacRats_. Now he was totally addicted.

Carly feared the worst for her brother. But she was too far away to do anything about it.

The record high score was currently held by one unbeknownst **Sasha Striker**.

Chris Saunders deemed Sasha her example to live up to.

Dustin asked, “why don’t you try to beat her high score?”

Chris beamed. “That would be cool.”

But there was no Pacrat machine around.

Dustin hoped to be able to show up with one and thus winning Chris’s heart. Of course he could not build one from scratch. But he could collect some random old looking trash off the junk yard of Joseph Brasley, the local greasemonkey.

Quinn was certainly able to build an arcade machine from trash. She was able to build a spaceship from scratch.

So this must have been a really easy task.

###  5:2:4  The New Old Arcade Machine

Nevel liked Dustin’s plan of getting Quinn to build an arcade machine somewhat. But he was not convinced of Chris being the right one for Dustin. He feared her to treat him like dirt. And he had already got some better girl in mind for his room pal.

Asking the greasmonkey for some spare junk was not much of a problem.

There was always some trash of unbeknownst origin lying around.

Quinn would find the time as well.

Quinndoze QP, the masteropiece software by Quinn Pensky, could emulate quite easily an old arcade machine. It was almost omnipotent.

Quinn just had to ask for three days.

Dustin sighed.

But that was better than nothing.

This was the second day of the time requested by the geek queen.

Dustin yawned while entering the girls’ lounge. He started rubbing some sleep out of his eyes. He pressed his fingers hard against his temples, pondering “what is this?”

A complete old PacRat machine had appeared over night in the lounge. Where had it come from?

Chris Saunders was of course totally keen on it. “Timmy? Have you really?”

Timothy Turner stood by her side, grinning innocently.

Dustin shook his head. He remembered the incident with the water chute.

In any case, Dustin’s plan of conquering the heart of Chris Saunders had just gone down the drain like washed away by a tsunami wave.

Chris swooned. “Now I so wish to beat the record of Sasha Striker, no, to pulverise it.”

Timmy nodded carefully. “Then I wish the same for you! Yes, I do!”

###  5:2:5  Landslide Record

The same ecvening, Chris Saunders started the attempt.

Jeremiah Trottman, the chief reporter of the school’s own TV network, was going to send it as a live report on _PC Game Channel_. He started interviewing Chris before the attempt. “Have you already got a boyfriend?”

The sophomore girl took some nachos and stuffed them into Jeremiah’s nose. Then she started to hit the buttons at the speed of light.

Dustin sighed deeply.

Little later, a new record mark was born.

Nobody would ever come to think agains about Sasha Striker’s old high score.

Jeremiah was daring again to ask Chris out for a date, but he got disappointed.

The eyes of Chris Saunders were inflating toi heart shaped balloons when glaring into Timothy Turner’s general direction.

Dustin sighed deeply. “Nevel was so right.” He muttered silently, “Timothy Turner has sold his soul to Satan, just like James Garrett.”

By the way, James was no longer studying at Pacific Coast Academy.

But Zoey Brooks was still holding his amulet dear to her heart.

Malika had not yet got the occasion of taking a thorough look at it.

##  5:3  Lola’s New Rôle

Lola’s career seemed to have suffered severely after her blackout suffered from eating peanuts previously licked by Quinn.

The canceled auditions had never come back.

During the summer break, Lola Martinez had been busy tutoring her snobbish cousin Trina “Rebecca” Vega.

This had made it impossible for her to make big progresses as a future Hollywood star.

But the begin of the new year had started with a great message from no other but Malcolm Reese.

The czar of Hollywood was about starting a new teenage soap opera.

Lola Martinez was perfectly suited for the female star rôle in that show. Or so she thought. Of course, auditions were still necessary. And Lola was better preparing well for them.

The competition was still big.

Ashley Blake was applying, too. But she was stuck in her first avalanche of pubescence and had got difficulties finding a suitable rôle. The part of a female star of a high school soap was certainly still too early for thirteen years old Ashley.

Another wannabe female star was Camille, the infamous cousin of Quinn.

Nevel was present at the auditions in order to cheer for her.

There were of course also quite a few potential male stars, such as Dak Zevon,5:9 Jett Stetson,5:10 Beck Oliver, and Spencer Carter,5:11 Royce Dulac,5:12 and the like.

Last but not least, Trina Vega stormed in, claiming to be perfect for the female star rôle. “I am the hottest and most gifted actress of Hollywood!” Truth said, Trina was a good dancer and pantomime, but a poor excuse of a singer and a weak character actress due to her mental laziness.

And Malcolm Reese pretty much knew that. Thus he knew better than wasting his time with her. Of course he would still dare to offer her some background rôle.

But Trina Vega was not exactly one to be content with those tasks. She needed to be the star.

Malcolm had always got the same problem with his son Logan.

The latter was now engaged to Dana Cruz in France. He used to be great in acting as a jerk and girl eater, but he was unable to study any other rôle. He needed to be the one and only male star, hitting on a hot female star. Like Trina, he was better off as a top model. 

And that was exactly his goal in France.

Logan and Dana had recently contracted with Sophie Girard,5:13 one of the greatest fashion freaks in France.

Malcolm did not really care. He was now busy here in Hollywood. He was invited to this year’s homecoming event at Pacific Coast Academy. That was not much of a surprise, given his status as a big sponsor and alumnus of California’s most illustrous boarding school.

But there was a special reason.

The buildigs of Pacific Coast Academy used to be named for great sponsors and alumni.

For example Quinn’s first dormitory had been baptised for Mr. Butler, a recently deceased veteran officer and alumnus of Pacific Coast Academy

And now it was time to name one building for Malcolm Reese, and, more precisely, the new hall for the elementary school girls.

Malcolm’s donation had been used mainly for that purpose, besides the football team.

Malcolm Reese was now better preparing very well for his speech at the occasion of the homecoming event.

Lola had made a fairly good impression at her first attempt for the main rôle.

But there would be several recalls until the finite decisions.

Lola didn’t yet get bothered. But she watched a few boys in the foyer.

There was a pot filled with ripe apples, bitter and sweet ones alike.

Some actors used the break in order to pick one of them.

Lola was still a firm believer in her theory of a connection of a boys’ kissing prowess and his way of eating an apple.

And now it was time for an application of that theory.

Lola was uttermost impressed by the bites of Beck Oliver. She felt an electric shock tingling down her delicate spine.

There was now nothing else left for her to do than working hard on sneaking a kiss off Beck, the assumable best kisser ever.

Unfortunately, Lola needed to be more than excessively careful.

Beck Oliver had already got a girlfriend, falsely so called.

This was dangerously aggressive goth girl Jade West, a fellow pupil ast Hollywood School foir the Advanced Performance Arts.

Kissing Beck just for fun would have insulted in some dirty war.

Jade could be perversely jealous.

But their “relationship” consited only in perpetually continued mutual abuse and corruption of the uttermost decadent sort.

Beck would have been better off without her.

Lola was the perfect potential escape chute, and even so much more fun than the water chute of Timothy Turner.

But was there even a trace of a chance for Beck Oliver to survive any attempt of getting close to another ggirl?

Jade was most likely spying on him almost anywhere. She was not an ambitious actress, but she was working hard on a career as a playwright for horror movies and classic style tragedies.

Beck was just one of her tools.

Of course, Lola’s life would have been in immediate danger, too, in the case of getting caught in flagrante delicto with Beck Oliver.

As of now, Jade was somewhere around in the studio, probably watching Beck in her perversely jealous manner.

Quinn had got many of those informations from Camille and used them i order to warn Lola.

The conflict due to the competition over James was aleready about waning.

And Quinn was thus not opposed to Lola finding a new and better suited crush. But she did not exactly want to get her killed by some disgustingly jealous fury. She stuck both thumbs up for Lola.

And of course there had been another reason for Quin to watch the auditions.

Camille was involved too.

Quinn had made some conversation. “Hi Cam!”

Camille walkeed over to her favourite cousin.

Nevel remarked, “have you noticed that mulato star?”

Camille nodded. “It’s Spencer Carter. He is a senior at Hollywood School for the Professional Performance Arts.”

Nevel shrugged. He was not really interested in actors or actresses.

Indeed, Spencer Carter had been a professional teenage actor for almost five years already. He was certainly one big heartthrob of the Californian girls. He had also helped out at school plays. He was the perfect choise for rôles like that oif Romeo in William Shakespear’s master piece _Romeo And Juliet_.

According to Nevel’s judgment, Spencer’s interest in Camille was more than just professional.

Camille did not wat to believe it.

Quinn, on the other hand, seconded Nevel’s judgment.

Camille sighed deeply.

Quinn grabbed Camille by the wrists in order to prove her statement. She dragged her to a group of boy actors, including Spencer Carter. Then she pushed Camille slightly and ran away at the speed of light, hiding with Nevel behind some cardboard figure used for the background of the stage during auditions.

Carter blushed when accidentially touched by Camille. “Hey! You’ve been great!”

The drama queen was now a bit embarrassed.

Spencer started, “I am glad about your choice as the female star reôle.”

Camille blushed. “Really?”

Spencer nodded. “There are many sorts of kissing scenes in it for our characters..”

Camille stammered, “maybe it’s better for us starting to practice for them?” Spencer smiled. “As soon as possible!”

Deeply blushing Camille continued, “any time you’re ready!”

Spencer gasped. “Hey! The cardboard figures are whispering!”

Quinn poked Nevel in order to get him to be quiet. But she was also awfully excited about her cousin’s upcoming relationship.

Suddenly, Nevel’s cellular phone vibrated.

Quinn sent him away.

Nevel was now creeping carefully into another corner in order to pick up his cellular phone. He coughed. “Nevel Papperman ...”

Magic Malika was on the other end. “Hi Nevel! I have observed Timothy Turner.”

Nevel choked. “Has he performed dark rituals?”

Malika had to correct Nevel. “Not quite! But he is sometimes talking to faeries.” Malika was partially able to see them due to hger telepathic abilities.

Nevel gasped. _But was there a difference?_ He concluded, “faeries may be abused easily and lead to the same effects as a deal with Satan.”

Malika agreed wholeheartedly.

 _But would they have to banish or destroy the faeries in order to save Pacific Coast Academy?_ Nevel’s decision would by no means be an easy one.

##  5:4  Coming Home

###  5:4:1  The Monument

Mr. Bradford, the owner of Pacific Coast Academy and son of the founder, was regularly inspecting the campus of the school. Homecoming was the most perfect opportuntity. A few years ago, this had almost been leading to the demise of the girls at Pacific Coast Academy. Only excessively reluctantly had Mr. Bradford allowed for the admissions of girls to this illustrous school. 

And those _ungrateful creatures_ had almost been up to perverting the monument of his father, the very founder of Pacific Coast Academy, by crossdressing it as a loose woman. The consequences would have been uttermost terrific ones.

This was already clear for rational thinkers like Zoey Brooks.

But Nevel Papperman had discovered something more to it.

The sculpture of Mr. Bradford I. had been a cursed monument.

Just like lifting the tomb of aforementioned Charles R. Galloway, the corruption of the item would have triggered a series of evil events.

Each year, the boys and girls alike feared some random turmoil caused by the visit of Mr. Bradford, even those of them refusing into curses and bad omens,i.e. the vast majority of the blind students, including especially Fredward Benson and Samantha Puckett.

The latter was very often tempted to “adorn” the sculpture in some funny yet perverted manner.

Fortunately, Quinn had been able to dissuade her from doing so.

This year, Carly Shay was keeping some eye on Samantha Puckett.

Of course, Sam grunted a lot. She would have loved to draw a fake moustache or something like that. With longer arms than her own, she would have actually done so. But fetching a ladder for the avail of reaching high up there was apparently too much of a work for Sam.

And it took some time, enough for Carly in order to dissuade Sam from her suicidal enterprise.

Nevel had observed the monument several times since the first encounter. But inspite of being sure of the existence of a curse surrounding it, he had never come to understand the details.

Even the rumours about Charles R. Galloway and his obvious curse had not been apparently connected to the monument.

On the other hand, Nevel had never studied the history of the monument. 

This was hardly possible due to the lack of documentation. Indeed, the evidence was like this: Someone must have deliberately removed or obfuscated the evidence. The respective yearbooks should have clearly mentioned the erection and the inauguration of such a monument.

But Nevel had gone through the books without being able to find any mention of such an important event.

The homecoming week reunited many former students of Pacific Coast Academy. Maybe some witnesses of the inauguration would be found. There was certainly hardly any better place and any better time to be chosen for a search for witnesses than a homecoming event.

But Nevel had to be very careful.

Most of the alumni of Pacific Coast Academy were much too stubborn to believe in the existence of curses and bad omens, excactly like Fredward Benson. They would hardly cooperate with Nevel Papperman when knowing about his actual motivations and just have believed him insane.

###  5:4:2  The Long Nose

The first day of the homecoming week was here. Most of the alumni attending the celebrations were already in Malibu. Of course, quite a few alumni still lived in the region of Los Angeles. But for many others, attending the homecoming had required a long journey across the country. Some had already come from across the seas.

The official opening was only in the afternoon hours. But Mr. Bradford and Dean Rivers were already starting their annual common tour of the campus.

Dean Rivers did not really think about the monument. The water chute was his main problem. _The officials of Pacific Coast Academy had not been informed about its erection. The removal of the same was thus necessary. But who was competent for the destruction? None of the board members had approved of the construction of the chute beforehand. Thus nobody was now feeling in any way responsible. And how were the costs for the deconstruction of the sliedway to be justified? This would have spelt chaos and mayhem among the board members and finally Mr. Bradford._ Dean Rivers knew absolutely no such thing as a viable solution for the tricky situation.

Mr. Bradford was not in his best mood, anyways.

Dean Rivers felt his stomach cramping and his senses blur on and off.

Now they reached the monument of the founder of Pacific Coast Academy.

The eyes of the Dean bugged out.

The monument had got a horror length of a nose, really, no less than five yards. It resembled that of toon figure Pinocchio after some lies.

Mr. Bradford was of course by no means whatsoever pleased by this sight. He started roaring in agony.

Dean Rivers felt his bones and his marrow vibrate like the crusty landscape during some earthquake measuring at least five points on Richter’s scale.

This was absolutely no good. The picture was made worse by the presence of two pieces of female undergarment adorning the nose of the monument. Later, those pieces of cloth would get identified as belonging to Coco Wexler. This was so awfully disgusting.

Ultimately, Mr. Bradford could not help but vomit. And he was of course immediately requesting the search for the culprits and uttermost severe punishment. “I an talking suspension, expulsion, deportation to Siberia!”

Michael Barret stammered, “maybe that would not be that bad. It would allow me to watch the mating behaviour of wild penguins.” Of course, penguins did not live naturally in Siberia. Quinn Pensky had probably tried to correct him some dozen of times But Michael Barret was way too dumb for remembering this.

Mr. Bradford would have loved to cancel the whole homecoming. But some very important sponsors from afar had already made their way to Los Angeles, just for the homecoming week. And Mr. Bradford desperately needed their money for future works on his school. _Thus the homecoming week had to go on. But the long nose had to be cut off. Was it really possible to cut off a massive brass nose within a few hours?_

###  5:4:3  Witnesses

Due to the incident, the homecoming celebrations suffered a lot.

The schedule had to be recast.

For example, the football match between the team of Pacific Coast Academy and that of James K. Polk had to be postponed by a whole day.

The homecoming guests were really upset by these delays.

Carly Shay’s grandfather was one of those homecoming alumni. He was now working as a senior judge in Yakima Valley in the rural regions of the state of Washington. He had always been doubting Spencer’s abilities as a guuardian for Carly and been the main reason for her switch to Pacific Coast Academy.

Carly had been looking forward to his visit.

The school band was performing right now for the parade of the alumni.

Some of them were too old for marching on their feet. They had to be supported or carried or pushed or stuff like that.

Grandpa Shay was the exact contrary. Inspite of his high age. he was still able to walk on his hands, for example.

Nevel watched the situation from his dormitory room. He sighed deeply.

The long nose had not been removed that quickly. The whole statue was now veiled instead.

Nevel knew about the possible consequences. But there was somerthing more: He also kew the culprit.

The day before the incident, Timothy Turner had wished for something funny to happen at the beginning of the homecoming week. And this wish had come true. This was clearly the work of Timothy’s fairies.

It fit absolutely into Megan’s view of Timmy as an infantile creep. She had abandoned any contact with that foul and rotten branch of her family, long ago. She was not surprised by Timothy being possessed by unclean spirits keeping him from growing up.

So Timothy Turner would be co-responsible for the impending doom. But this was not the root of the curse, just a consequence.

Nevel was up to asking some of the alumni. He would pretend to write for the school newspaper about the history.

Most of the old farters would feel flattered and not ask about Nevel’s proper motivations.

It wasn’t even a lie. The _Daily Stingray_ would certainly be interested in covering some interesting episodes about the history of Pacific Coast Academy.

Now Nevel Papperman just had to put the bits and pieces together. A few simple questions would certainly help to narrow down the range of the years of interest, the years of the start of the curse still resting on the Pacific Coast Academy and potentially effecting its doom and decay. But, more than anything else, Nevel Papperman was watching out for the most likely key figure, viz. Mr. Takato.

##  5:5  Howling Wild Dog

###  5:5:1  Missing Lines

Homecoming week had been very exhausting for many pupils, teachers, and staff alike.

Dean Rivers definitely needed a break.

Thus Mr. Bender was compelled to take over his business, of course not exactly after having begged for this “honour”.

The long nose should have been removed right after the homecoming.

But while trying to do so, the campus workers, guided by Braxley, committed one severe mistake/ As a consequence, the whole monument got even distorted and spoiled a lot worse.

Fortunately, Mr. Bradford had not yet noticed. But it was just a matter of time for the old creep to find out.

Nevel Papperman had found out a few other things in turn. The statements of the alumni allowed to fix the construction of the monument of the founder in the interval of 1955 to 1960.

The main witness had been been Mr. Pal. former headmaster of James K. Polk Middle and High School. He had been a student at Pacific Coast Academy during those times.

This brought Nevel to reevaluate the evidence from the yearbooks of those times.

Dustin Brooks and Robbie Carmichael had to help him reading the excerpts.

Dustin concluded, “Hey! The sentence over there makes not much sense.”

Nevel nodded. “There’s no predicate whatsoever, ain’t there?”

Robbie sighed.

Was that a typo? Or had some part of the text in the yearbook of 1957 actually been left out on purpose?

Accidentally, 1957 had been the year of the disappearance of Charles R. Galloway into the barren wastelands of Redstone Gulch, if rumoured correctly.

Or was this no accident at all?

According to Mr. Pal, Charles R. Galloway had been known as the howling wild dog. He had been the founder of an experimental radio broadcast group, originally planned as the school radio of Pacific Coast Academy. Charles had been known for his dauntless reports. These had divided the pupils and teachers into two camps. Principal Pal could no longer remember the exact issues. But those seemed to be concerned with the policy of the school administration.

Nevel saw no way for figuring those issues.

But the disapparition of Charles R. Galloway appeared to have been connected with his activities of running the radio station.

###  5:5:2  Plagiarism

5:14

Carly Shay’s web show had grown pretty fast in popularity. This rising fame triggered a lot of envy.

Recently, Dustin had discovered a cheap copy of Carly’s ideas.

Those appeared on some hitherto lame comedy show produced by Dingo Channel. There was something fishy.

Strangely, a dingo was basically an Australian wild dog.

Was there a connection between Dingo Channel and Charles R. Galloway, nicknamed as “the howling wild dog”?

Dustin had figured something else.

The headquarters of that broadcasting corporations hosted the cryogenically preserved dead head of the station’s founder, a certain Charles Dingo.

Nevel gasped. “Charles R. Galloway ... Charles Dingo ... an accident?” _Cryogenic preservation had not been available in the late fifties. The skull would have rotten away ever since. But maybe Charles R. Galloway had not died out there, but survived, under some different name, or, more precisely, as Charles Dingo?_ Alas, Nevel Papperman was way too tired to do any further research. He was willing to delegate some of it. _But who out there was to be trusted?_

###  5:5:3  Untombed

Quinn Pensky tried to support her brother in a very crazy manner. She was up to finding the tomb and submitting its contents to rigorous scientific research.

Nevel had not hearsd about her plans in time. He would never have approved of it. And now he was consternated hearing about his half sister’s action.

Quinn was already gone.

Nevel rubbed his temples dry. “She is bringing gloom and doom upon us!”

Malika was little pleased either. But she suspired. “I have to prepare the assault of the demons upon Pacific Coast Academy.”

But for Quinn Pensky, it was most likely too late. Triggering the wild hunt would have been Quinn’s grisly end.

Nevel was like paralysed. Then he broke down and started weeping. _Nobody was able to stop Quinn anymore._ Nevel was not even able to launch his usual threats of the kind “you will rue it, until dystopia!”

Dustin tried hard to calm Nevel down and to call others in order to look for Quinn and find her in time.

Mr. Bender was concerned. But he told Mr. Billiam to go and look for Quinn.

But was Kenneth Billiam really to be trusted?

###  5:5:4  Quinn is back.

A few hours later, Quinn Pensky was back, safe and sane.

Nevel sighed for inifite relief. He wondered, “Have you returned in time?”

Quinn shook her had. “I have found the tomb.”

Nevel’s eyes bugged out. He was nowehere near able to believe in Quinn’s unscathed survival.

Quinn remarked, “There are a few bones in the tomb.” She suspired. “I have analysed them with my portable spectrograph.”

Nevel glared puzzled.

Quinn remarked, “animal bones ... cows and bulls ... no human DNA whatsoever.”

Nevel stomped his feet. “Someone must have made a joke.”

Quinn shrugged.

The team searching for Quinn was now lost out in the wastelands. They had not got Quinn’s upgraded facilities of navigation, such as a quinntant, an improvement over a sextant.

This consistence of the tomb’s contents furthered Nevel’s assumption.

Charles R. Galloway, the howling dingo, had most likely not disappeared into the barren wastelands, but continued to work as Charles Dingo in Los Angeles.

Someone must have hidden some cattle bones in order to misguide people.

Maybe Charles had done exactly this and also started spreading the fake rumours. This would have been reassuring.

But there was still the enigmatic foreboding feeling involving the monument of the founder of Pacific Coast Academy.

Nevel needed to keep on searching.

###  5:5:5  Fairy Ban

In any case, Timothy Turner and his elves had been unbearable and causing too much turmoil.

Malika Dooley had thus been urged to intervene. She used a secret ritual inorder to conjure **Jean Claude** ,5:15 the fairy chieftain.

Jean Claude was very much upset by the severe continual misdemeanour of the elves accompanying Timoty Turner.

Their names were **Cosmo** and **Wanda**.5:16

Malika successfully talked Jean Claude into banishing those stray fairies from the human dimensions and keep them locked into the monster world.

This would make life at Pacific Coast Academy appear more normal.

But of course the root of the curse and its connection with the monument of the founder was not yet discovered. The destiny of Pacific Coast Academy was still at stake.

Timothy Turner was now forced to grow up.

Chris Saunders was totally disappointed and disgusted by helplessly infantile Timothy without his fairies.

###  5:5:6  Jade’s Pentagram

Jean Claude had been very pleased by having found a good reason for geting two of his most inept chaos fairies removed from the human dimension. He was now going to command some other, more useful fairies to reveil themselves unto Nevel and Malika in order to help him break the curse. According to Jean Claude, the bearer of the seal of Solomon was required in order to free the Pacific Coast Academy from Consuela’s evil revenge.

Malika and Nevel sighed deely, unaware of any such bearer.

The **Seal of Solomon** was an upright pentagram, a five tipped star pointing upward.

Malika knew very well about the powers provided by this symbol. But she did not know any bearer of it.

Now Jean Claude reveiled the bearer. “It is Jade West.”

Nevel gasped.

Jade was certainly mad at him for trying to help Lola Martinez getting matched with Beck Oliver. She was hardly supposed to do anything whatsoever in order to help Nevel to lift the curse, was she?

And was Dingo really out of question? The channel sounded very fishy, anyways, with or without the identity of Charles Dingo and Charles R. Galloway.

Aforementioned nephiew of Charles R. Galloway had already been informed. He was now hell bent on researching the proper destiny of his uncle.

Was Charles R. Galloway still alive?

Everything looked like some scandal lasting for already half a century. And one new student at Pacific Coast Academy was an expert for uncovering scandals.

##  5:6  Shredderman Shreds.

###  5:6:1  The History Of Dingo

A few weeks later, Nevel was still trying to patch the bits and pieces together.

Suyddenly, there was someone knocking at his door.

Dustin Brooks was hanging out with Carly, Freddie, and Sam. He was impossibly already back.

Nevel liked that constellation. He had fancied Dustin as the one suitable boy able to get Carly over being the third wheel of the bicycle.

But currently, it was more or less a random kind of hanging out.

Dustin had got an idea for the web show.

Nevel did not care much about it. He deemed it lame. He would have tried to stop it. But he had got more important things to do, such as saving Pacific Coast Academy from impending doom. And now he had to open the door.

Nolan Byrd was standing outside.

Nevel let him walk in.

The two of them had not yet conversed a lot. Was this going to change now?

Nevel looked puzzled at Nolan.

The new student gasped. “OK, Nevel, you seem to have been a lot concerned about Dingo for some reason.”

Nevel nodded. “There is something fishy.”

Nolan Byrd nodded. “I know. And I have done my research. I am great at uncovering scandals.” At his former middle school, Cedar Valley in northern California, Nolan had discovered some particularly dirty environmental scandal.5:17

 **Bixby** , the richest creep of the county, had tried to abuse the local lake as a cloak for industrial rubbish.

The headmaster of his school, **Dr. Sheila Voss** , had been working side by side with him.

Only the rigorous intervention of Nolan Byrd, disguised as “Shredderman”, had saved Cedar Valley from total destruction and corruption.

That had been a very impressive deed, even in the eyes of Nevel Papperman.

Nolan continued, “Dr. Voss has changed her name to **Francine Briggs**5:18 and is now terrorising the kids at some lame school in Seattle.”

Nevel sighed. “Yeah, poor kids.”

Nolan nodded sadly.

It was like Homer’s Lernean hydra — Chop one head off, and several others will appear instead! But this was not relevant for now.

Nolan had infiltraded, or plainly snuck into the headquarters of Dingo and found access to some secret material about the history of the corporation, and especially about the cryogenially preserved head of “Charles Dingo” stored in the guts of the headquarters.

Nevel was curious.

Nolan panted heavily. 

> First of all, there had never been any such thing as a Charles Dingo.
> 
> The corporation had been built in the spirit of Charles “Dingo” Galloway.
> 
> That was an idea of the founders with ever since forgotten name. Unfortunately, this idea had not been very successful.
> 
> Thus the corporation needed to come up with other ideas in order to puff up the business and the market shares.
> 
> And this exactly lead to the idea of spreading the news of Charles Dingo, the legendary founder of Pacific Coast Academy, and his skull.
> 
> This had at first glance been brilliant. But it did not exactly replace any good content.
> 
> And for that avail, the company has started plagiarising.

Nevel coughed. “Those bastards!”

Nolan nodded solemnly. “They have already started plagiarising the declassified school survival guide of my cousin Edmond.”

 **Edmond Bigby**5:19 was a student at James K. Polk. Along with his friends **Jenifer Mosely**5:20 and Simon Nelson Cooke aforementioned engineering genius, he had maintained a blog of valuable advices for middle school kids.

Nevel had heard about it. He did not deem them that useful. “But they deserve to be credited, anyways.”

Nolan nodded solemnly. “Edmond is now hiring **Claire Sawyer** ,5:21 future lawyer, a student from his classes, in order to sue Dingo.”

Nevel grinned. “Claire is cool!”

Nolan nodded solemnly. “She is now helping my community to sue Bixby Sewers for the evil deeds.”

Nevel concluded, “Carly should also hire Claire.”

Nolan deemed that a cool idea.

One important thing still remained. Charles R. Galloway was not dead and buried at Redstone Gulch. But he had not continued to live as the founder of Dingo Channel.

So, what had realy happened to him? He must have continued to live under cover. Maybe not just a new name, but also a new face had been necessary after having fled from the campus.

And who had started spreading the rumours about the tomb of Charles Galloway, anyways?

Was there any reason for anyone to go randomly to some odd place in the barren wastelands and dig a hole for hiding a few animal bones and other junk?

Nolan had made another discovery. “The owners of Dingo Channel have been members of the Silver Hammers for quite a few decades.”

Nevel gasped. He had always expected a connection between the curse and the hammers. But he had never been able to infiltrate the Society Of The Silver Hammer in order to prove his suspicious moments right.

But some experienced infiltrator like Nolan Byrd, better known as the “Shredderman”, was certainly able to do so.

The perverted club was about recruiting a few new members among the sophomores of the current academic year. This seemed like one great opportunity.

###  5:6:2  Infiltrated

Nevel Papperman had always suspected The Society Of The Silver Hammer to perform satanic sacrifices. And now it was time for proving this.

Nolan’s class pal Chris Saunders had been one of the postulants. But she had got as bad feeling.

Thus Samantha Puckett participated in her place in the first reunion of the postulants. She hoped for a buffet for the new members. She would be bitterly disappointed, though.

There was still the ritual triangle player.

Sam really wanted to choke the creep. But she was not allowed to. She had to behave in the likeness of Chris. Of course she was still too stubborn to believe in Nevel’s diabolic conspiracy theory. But she helped Nolan and Nevel, anyways, by allowing them to sneak past her into the congregation room and hide behind a cardboard figire of the legendary founder of the “hammers”.

This was of course a hell of a lot more dangerous than hiding behind some cardboard figure during the auditions for _Newtown High_.

Nevel heard the sound of the triangle. The vibrations were very clear. They did not allow for any doubt, at least not in the absolute ears of Nevel Papperman.

The tune was a falling pentachord, a tune of diabolic origin.Ergo, the Society Of The Silver Hammer were a satanic cult.

Nevel gasped. His worst fears were justified. At least he had not neen paranoid. Nevel’s task of the evening was thus accomplished.

But Nolan was up to further investigations.

###  5:6:3  The Victim

Shredderman had dutifully continued his job. And he had made it back alive. He was consternated.

The message was devastating. The elders were up to sacrificing Zoey Brooks at the dawn following prom night to the brass idol of the founder of the school.

And James Garrett, faithful member of the Society Of The Silver Hammer, was their bait, and had been so since his first appearance on the campus as “Dennifer”.

Now Nevel Papperman had to prevent this from happening.

Dustin felt like petrified when hearing Nevel’s warnings.

Unfortunately, Zoey would not have believed either of them.

James had sucked her own mind completely away. He was no longer a student at Pacific Coast Academy, but he was Zoey’s appointed prom date.

Was there still a way left for Nevel to stop the catastrophe?

The amulet seemed to be one of the tools deployed by James Garrett.

Malika had not yet achieved identifying it.

Soon it would be too late.

##  5:7  Finale

###  5:7:1  Senior Prom

The night of the senior prom for Zoey and her gang had started.

Zoey Brooks appeared in front of the prom hall in her hand made gown, waiting for her equally perfectly dressed James. And of course she was wearing her gifted amulet, against all warnings.

Many other students were already present.

Michael Barret was once more accompanied by his beloved Wendy Gellar.

Chase Bartholomew Matthews was joined by his sweetheart Adelaide Singer.

Lola Martinez actually dared to show up with her beloved Beck Oliver, the best possible kisser encountered at all of her previous shootings.

Jade West was now supposed to wreak total havoc.

Stacey Dillsen showed once more up with a cotton swab gown and with her fiancé Eric Blonowitz.

Many vulgar students lauhed about her cute outfit. But making fun of fellow pupils had always been the source for major future evils at Pacific Coast Academy, especially back in the times of ... well ... Charles Galloway?

Alas, for Quinn Pensky, this was the aftermath of some excessively sad day.

Aforementioned Cal, her upstream provider with valuable scientific materials, had been wanted for illegal trade with uranium. He had to disappear from sight and go completely underground.

Quinn had been one of his longtime customers. And she declared, “my place is by his side!” Quinn would possibly have got out of everything because of her low age, at least at the beginning of her career as a nuclear freak. But Quinn was not a corrupt traitor. Thus she had to follow him.

And this made Nevel infinitely sad. He had cried a rainstorm on Quinn’s sudden departure and huggled her tightly.

Some curious creeps like Jeremiah Trottman had taken pictures. It was now inevitable for Quinn’s excessively stupid mother, yes, even for her, to hear about her husband’s ruthless adulteries.

Quinn would not come to have to care about this any longer.

Only their father was now in serious trouble.

But Nevel’s task of saving Zoey Brooks was now by no means easier.

Drake Parker was once more making music at the prom.

Many had been looking forward to it.

Megan had snuck into his car and thus reached the campus right in time for the probably very last fight. But she had not really got a plan, either.

Nevel deemed Quinn’s need for diving into the underworld as part and parcel of the long lasting curse, followed straight by the impending attack of Jade West upon the life of Lola Martinez and the sacrifice of Zoey Brooks.

###  5:7:2  Let the music play!

Dean Rivers was done with his usual uttermost boring speech. Then he disappeared into the middle of nowhere.

The ball was open. This year, other middle school kids were responsible for the buffet, including Amber Tate, Emilia Brandon, and Morgan Eichman.

At least this problem was off Nevel’s shoulders.

Dustin and Nevel were still somewhat busy with the ball.

Dustin was hell bent on stopping Zoey in last minute from committing a suicidal mistake.

Drake let the music begin.

His drummer boy Neil Winchester,5:22 a boy from San Diego in Dustin’s and Nevel’s age, hurled aloft his sticks and swang them down onto the battery, heating up the atmosphere in no time.

The kids started cheering and bouncing.

Lola Martinez was dancing closely with Beck Oliver.

Jade would have killed both of them when seeing this. But, hey, she probably did watch Beck and Lola, somehow. Or at least she knew about being cheated at.

After some hour, there was a little break. Drake needed to go to the toilets in order to empty his chock full bladder.

###  5:7:3  Shelby Strikes

Lola and Beck decided to take take a little walk under the moon of love. Just stepping out of the hall, they were attacked by mean spirited Jade West.

The perversely jealous goth girl tried to kick helpless Lola savagely into the guts. But she failed miserably.

The attacked girl grabbed Jade’s foot, hurled her aloft, and flang her into the bushes across the campus.

Lola’s voice was heard cackling.

“You should not have messed with the wrong sister”, moaned Lola. “may I introduce my little sister Shelby, world champion in mixed martial arts?”

Jade whimpered for pain.

Beck declared to never want to see Jade again. He took the real Lola’s wrists and continued their walk for real.

Lola rested her head on Beck’s shoulders. “This was the nightingale, and not the skylark.”

Beck wrapped his right arm around his sweetheart’s shoulders and sighed in a dreamy manner.

Jade West had learned her lesson. Or so it was to be hoped.

###  5:7:4  The Locket

Dustin had actually been able to sneak into the prom hall, aided by Daisy Lee and Evelyn Kwong.

The latter had got the keys to the back entrance for the food delivery.

This allowed Dustin to hide under the tables in the side room used for the buffet.

Sooner or later, Zoey would show up and bend down over the buffet.

Then Dustin would try to use a fishing rod in order to remove the amulet off her throat.

Megan Parker had help him build a fishing rod with periscope mode, allowing Dustin to aim for the locket while sitting under the table. She had used that device on and off in order to fool her — so-called — worthless boobs.

And the right moment was now.

Zoey and James walked in, hand in hand, and almost making out.

Zoey wanted James to mouthfeed her some nacho with tapenade or guacamole, referred to as _the green stuff_.

This made both off them particularly careless.

Dustin used that moment of confusion in order to lift the dangerous amulet off his elder sister’s throat.

Sooner or later, James and Zoey would notice it.

This did not leave Dustin with too much time at his hands.

But maybe it was enough time for Malika to check the locket with her psychometrical abilities.

###  5:7:5  Psychometry

Megan and Malika were now busy reading the signs of the past off the locket.

At first glance, Malika’s talk sounded thoroughly confused.

But Megan nodded, able to make sense of it. She concluded:

> This locket belonged once upon a time to Charles R. Galloway.
> 
> It has been stolen by the earliest hammers, forerunners of our “Society Of The Silver Hammer”, and hidden in the deserts until one certain moment.
> 
> It serves a ritual purpose.

Malika stammered about evil sacrifices of a perfect virgin to the demons of hell, and the idol on the campus.

Megan sighed deeply. “The monument of old Mr. Bradford, the founder of Pacific Coast Academy ... this must be the idol.”

According to Nolan Byrd, this sacrifice was due the morning after prom night. There were not many hours left. _But what did Charles R. Galloway have to do with it?_

Malika sighed deeply. “He is alive, and he is not far.”

Returning the amulet to the living Charles Galloway would have rendered it useless for the sacrifices.

Megan also wondered, “does Mr. Bradford, the current owner, know about those sacrifices?”

Malika could not answer safely. “But I do think so. And he at least tolerates them.”

Of course Malika’s psychometry did not suffice as a proof for the local authorities.

Officer Vega, the best of all Californian police officers, could not arrest Mr. Bradford and storm the campus at dawn just for that reason, with or without his kinsgirl Lola.

By now, Zoey must have noticed the absence of the collar. Alas, she was probably already too much obsessed with James to stop following him blindly.

James was probably the one to steal the collar from the secret location in the desert. He was also supposed to have hidden the animal bones.

###  5:7:6  Thunderbolts

Jade West stood in the middle of the campus. She saw the monument of Mr. Bradford. “His students have stolen Beck from me.”

This cried for revenge.

Referring to her pentagram mark, Jade summoned a thunderbolt to strike the monument and make it melt into goo. She, as the bearer of the seal of Salomon, was immune to any bad consequences.

But the destruction had got its side effects.

Zoey and James were lying in each other’s arms underneath a tree on the campus.

The moon was shining above them.

The thunderstrike shook them just up, like so many others.

But Zoey was even more effected. “Oh my goodness! What are we doing here?”

James stammered, “it’s our great day.” He talked about celebrating the upcoming dawn.

But Zoey did not believe him. “You are a mean little abuser and seducer!”

“Yes, he is!” bellowed a voice behind Zoey.

The blond Mary Sue turned around. “Carly, right? Dustin seems to think highly of you.”

Carlotta Shay nodded and choked. “He is ... sweet!” She blushed deeply. “But this tall rake ... Jake Crendle ...”

Zoey was confused. “Jake? James?”

Stacey Dillsen thundered, “Dennifer! You one _censored_ creep!”

James Garrett stood up and ran away. He would never be seen again in California.

An elderly Japanese guy, matching Michael Barret’s description of Mr. Takato, came along, riding a cow backward. His face, however, was in a flux.

Nevel and Malika had spotted him from afar.

Apparently, Mr. Takato was transforming his face. He was now a different, purely American man. “I am Charles R. Galloway!” He had been living in this disguise for five decades, escaping thusly from the proscription by the Society Of The Silver Hammer. Back in the fifties, he had found a proof for Mr. Bradford making business with the war in Corea and planning that of Vietnam and the Cuban crisis for the same purpose. He had tried to warn the students about the impending idolatry circling around the monument of Mr. Bradford. But his words had fallen like silent rain drops, unheard for fifty years.

###  5:7:7  School Of Rocque

Mr. Bradford junior had disappeared over night, too. He would not be found again.

His wife sold the school on site to one **Gustavo Rocque** ,5:23 owner of a most famous record label named Rocque Records. “This school has always been like a curse for me ...”

The latter wanted to own the school for his new boyband, four freshly contracted boys from Minnesota including aforementioned Logan Mitchell. He insisted in calling all his students “dogs”.

That was not very promising.

But nothing could be significantly worse than the Bradford family.

The monument of Mr. Bradford was now replaced by a new monument of Mr. Rocque, a monument made of cotton swabs and white glue by upscaling master sculptress Stacey Dillsen.

Zoey had spent the rest of the evening with Olivary Biallo, her ultimate love.

Together, they would soon work for Mad Style, viz. their new Californian branch.

Dustin was finally strong enough to confess his hitherto secret feelings for Carly.

She ws a bit puzzled, but she decided to give it a try.

Nevel could no longer see his half sister Quinn in flesh and blood. But in his mind, Quinn would always stay very close to him.

At least, Megan Parker would join him to Pacific Coast Academy oops School Of Rocque. No curse would ever change that.

_THE END_

* * *

5:1
     from _True Jackson VP_
5:2
     from _True Jackson VP_ : _Saving Snackleberry_
5:3
     both from _The Troop_
5:4
     from _Big Time Rush_
5:5
     both from _Unfabulous_
5:6
     covers _The iCarly Show_ : _iStage An Intervention_
5:7
     from _The iCarly Show_ : _iPsycho_ et alibi
5:8
     from _Zoey 101_ : _Quinn’s Alpaca_ et alibi
5:9
     from _Big Time Rush_ : _Big Time Shooting_
5:10
     from _Big Time Rush_
5:11
     from _Ned_ _’_ _s Declassified School Survival Guide_ : _School Plays_
5:12
     from _Spectacular!_
5:13
     from _True Jackson VP_ : _Back To School_
5:14
     cover _The iCarly Show_ : _iTake On Dingo_
5:15
     from _Fairly Odd Movie_
5:16
     from _Fairly Odd Movie_
5:17
     cf. _Shredderman Rules!_
5:18
     from _The iCarly Show_
5:19
     from _Ned_ _’_ _s Declassified School Survival Guide_
5:20
     loc. cit.
5:21
    loco cito
5:22
    from _Drake & Josh_: _Megan’s New Teacher_ , with a surname taken from the actor’s part in some third-party owned production
5:23
    from _Big Time Rush_


End file.
